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Meet Dawn Smith, Latest Victim Of Flawed Healthcare

Written by News One on October 16, 2009 12:47 pm

dawn smith

From ThinkProgress.org:

Yesterday, Dawn Smith — who has a brain tumor her insurer has refused to help treat — traveled from her home in Atlanta, Georgia to request a meeting with H. Edward Hanway, CEO of the health insurance giant CIGNA. She has been a victim of a series of insurance company abuses, and she wanted to give both Hanway and leaders in Congress a message. Hanway refused to meet with Smith, and instead dispatched his Cheif Medical Officer Jeff Kang to listen to her. Kang admitted that CIGNA’s complex claims unit requires serious changes but said his company would not even review the possibility of paying for her care until November.

Smith, a premiums-paying customer of CIGNA, was diagnosed with a type of brain tumor in 2005, then another one in 2007. Although CIGNA covered her brain biospy and some medication payments, she has battled with the insurer for years because of multiple denials of payment for the specialized care she needs to cure the tumors. After paying out-of-pocket for care in one instance, CIGNA nearly doubled her premiums anyway. In early October, a CIGNA representative told her that the co-pay on her anti-epileptic medicine was being hiked by more than $3,000 a year.

With the assistance of MoveOn.org, Smith has launched a nationwide campaign to not only receive the treatments she deserves from her insurance company, but to help reform the entire system and help all Americans gain quality, affordable healthcare. ThinkProgress asked Smith what message she has for Congress:

DAWN SMITH: I would encourage them to hear the stories from their citizens because, you know, a lot of people talk about the cost [to] children of our future, our grandchildren. But, there are grandchildren dying now. There are children dying now. […] I don’t understand how you can justify ‘die now, so we can save money later.’ Because that’s what it is; that’s what it boils down to.

To read more, click here.

WATCH Dawn Smith speak out here:

Tags: Healthcare Reform, Recession 2009
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  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Da_J_Rok/ Da_J_Rok

    Why aren’t there special doctors who just make an annual lump some alloted by the government for cases like this, it should be a surgeon for every practical procedure that does this and Congress should give them like a Millie or two just for special cases like this… “F” insurance

  • http://www.jsmedia1.com/?p=3353 JS Media 1 » Blog Archive » Meet Dawn Smith, Latest Victim Of Flawed Healthcare

    [...] Read more here:  Meet Dawn Smith, Latest Victim Of Flawed Healthcare [...]

  • http://www.blackinfo.net/?p=4950 Black Info.Net – African American News Hub | Black Info.Net

    [...] Dawn Smith speak out here: Read more here: Meet Dawn Smith, Latest Victim Of Flawed Healthcare Related ArticleMichael Steele Names His Blog “What Up” Posted in The 411 Tags: black, [...]

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Sub-Negro/ Sub-Negro

    $$$$ over people is all they care about.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/TMAC_35000/ TMAC_35000

    Insurance is one the biggest rip-offs there is.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/jazzpast/ jazzpast

    GO TO CUBA!!! I meant that with all sincerity. Fly to Mexico, Venezuela, Brazil or even Spain then Fly to CUBA, and get help.The doctors there are thought to cure not to delay your death or suppress the symptoms.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Jeffrey1975/ Jeffrey1975

    Her first mistake was going with Cigna. That insurance is one of the worst out of all the insurances. I had them and had PPO. It still sucked. If you are gonna go with a descent health insurance, Blue Cross Blue Shield.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/SirMoonlite2/ SirMoonlite2

    I agree with Jeffrey1975, that company was given the boot by a many HRBD’s…they crooked as hell!!!!

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tried-N-True/ Tried-N-True

    And you think that’s bad? Jus wait until this crap Obama is trying to pass of as healthcare reform gets passed. It’s going to be worse as it’s nothing more than a carbon copy of the failed KK healthcare model. True reform starts with holding companies like CIGNA accountable and making them reform their ways under a government watchdog agency….otherwise they will continue to be about profits and denial of service…these companies should be called on the carpet, sued and made to revamp their policies and procedures. If they don’t comply—put theirasses out of business. If Obama continued to pursue his health plan, we will have two different competing health services with noting changing in the current companies in place……

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Tried-N-True/ Tried-N-True

    Ooops I meant to type faild UK healthcare model…my typo :-)

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/CrEaMeH/ CrEaMeH

    the man will get what he deserves….GOD ALWAYS PREVAILS….Be blessed sista and keep your head up

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/Kountry_Mayne/ Kountry_Mayne

    I dont have any health insurance. You feed these people money and then when you need medical help then they take your money and run without giving back. I will never have health insurance. God him self is a healer who moves through faith. If there is any doubt in your mind questioning about who he is or is he who he says he is then you have no faith.

  • http://www.blackplanet.com/AFallenLord/ AFallenLord

    Praying will not fix the problem. You get the f**k out there and make it known there is a problem and keep on your representatives’ asses. Like any good parent, God doesn’t go and fix everyone’s problems at the drop of a hat (Slavery, poverty, inequality, etc.) it has taken action and good ideas from people about how to fix said problem. If you really expect God to take care of everything for you and this woman who is f**ked right now, go live in a hole for the rest of your life. Away from any temptation, and just pray all day and night without sleep, for food, shelter, and love. See how far it gets you.
    That said, I don’t think God is irrelevant. God gives you strength (if you believe in him) to do what is right. That’s why praying for a problem to go away will sooner yield results if you get off your knees and stand up and do something rather than waiting for something. God sets the stage and gives hope and strength, he does not manipulate blatantly. My girl’s mother has been faithful to God all her life and she has back and knee problems, kidney problems, lives in poverty and has no health insurance. You are making the same mistake as conservatives– you don’t look past yourself, and for that, what you are saying is irrelevant.
    This woman needs f**king help now, not a passive prayer.

    CrEaMeH– He will get what he deserves either in the afterlife or if we act to pass a public option to f**k the non-competitive, p***y ass, lazy insurance companies’ s**t up. How about we help the sista keep her head up by doing s**t rather than saying “Oh, you’re blessed, God loves you, now keep praying you can do something, go it alone because I’m too f**king lazy to do anything more than that so that means I’m just spouting s**t.” No offense, but the lady doesn’t care what you have to say– she cares what you have to do. She’s gonna die if everyone just sees it as a news story like “Oh that’s sad. Ah well, we’re thinking of you, random lady.”

    Be real.

  • http://www.blackinfo.net/?p=5587 Black Info.Net – African American News Hub | Black Info.Net

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