Young Woman Battles Insurance Company For Effective Medications

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 24 Oct 2008 - 6:00 PDT

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"I am 29 years old, and have a blood condition called ITP. I don't know how I got it, but I am stuck with a moody, unpredictable auto-immune condition," said Mira Zaki of Astoria, N.Y. "I was first diagnosed with this condition in 2004 while I was attending graduate school and generally wearing myself extremely thin in order to balance going to college and working two jobs. My health was deteriorating, but I couldn't stop because I had too much work to do.

"I reluctantly went to the emergency room and was admitted to the hospital. I stayed for a week enduring numerous tests, and obtaining three blood transfusions, transfusions of IVIG (gamma globulin) and followed up by putting me on steroids - Prednisone to stop the antibodies that were attacking and destroying my platelets.

"I didn't have health insurance again until this year when I began working for Apple. I had a relapse and this time my blood went even lower to 2,000 platelets which is extremely dangerous. Another week in the hospital, and only transfusions of IVIG, I am still not responding to the Prednisone which has kept me off work, caused me to gain 25 pounds and is making me almost suicidal.

"My hematologist has another drug, Rituxan that will provide better results than the Prednisone that I am not responding to. Unfortunately, Rituxan is $4,000 per shot as it is an IV drug. My insurance carrier, United Healthcare, does not want to cover the cost of this drug. So, despite my deductible and out-of-pocket maximum having been reached, I still cannot get this drug. I find this disgusting and I am suffering. My co-insurance bills continue to come in everyday and are much more than I can afford making $12 per hour," said Mira as she continued fighting for the medication her doctor would like her to try and that she hopes will offer better relief from her pain.

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