Man Battles Cancer And Insurance Company
By: Jocelyn Tovar, KARK 4 NEWS
Updated: November 14, 2012
Even though a doctor is willing to perform a potentially life-saving operation, the family's been struggling with the insurance company.
After repeatedly having their petition for the surgery rejected, the family contacted KARK as a last resort.
Geneva Riordan took us through the paper trail of disappointment petitioning for a life saving operation for her husband Jay.
"The surgery is really the only chance of survival for this patient," Riordan read from a doctor's letter, "And that was denied," she said.
In May doctors found a tumor on Jay Riordan's liver.
"He turned as yellow as Bart Simpson," Geneva said.
But yellow skin, wasn't the only side effect.
"I had no energy to do anything or attempt to do anything," Jay said.
Especially not fight against an insurance company.
Through a remarkable coincidence, Jay's niece who works in the Oncology Department of a Kansas hospital, found a doctor willing to perform an experimental operation.
"It's extremely risky," said Geneva.
So she petitioned for an "out of network exception" from their insurance to allow the doctor to perform the operation, and was denied.
"Because health advantage has in network providers available," she read.
Denied twice, but Geneva wouldn't give up and petitioned a third time.
"I don't know what's going to happen after that," she said. 'It's basically a death sentence."
But within an hour of notifying the insurance company of our story, Jay got a call saying the exception was finally approved.
"It's the only chance he has," she said.
Wit a 20 -30% chance of success Jay is far from being out of the woods.
"I can accept a slim chance," he said. "I can't accept zero.
Jay told KARK it's hard to describe just how relieved they are.
After repeatedly having their petition for the surgery rejected, the family contacted KARK as a last resort.
Geneva Riordan took us through the paper trail of disappointment petitioning for a life saving operation for her husband Jay.
"The surgery is really the only chance of survival for this patient," Riordan read from a doctor's letter, "And that was denied," she said.
In May doctors found a tumor on Jay Riordan's liver.
"He turned as yellow as Bart Simpson," Geneva said.
But yellow skin, wasn't the only side effect.
"I had no energy to do anything or attempt to do anything," Jay said.
Especially not fight against an insurance company.
Through a remarkable coincidence, Jay's niece who works in the Oncology Department of a Kansas hospital, found a doctor willing to perform an experimental operation.
"It's extremely risky," said Geneva.
So she petitioned for an "out of network exception" from their insurance to allow the doctor to perform the operation, and was denied.
"Because health advantage has in network providers available," she read.
Denied twice, but Geneva wouldn't give up and petitioned a third time.
"I don't know what's going to happen after that," she said. 'It's basically a death sentence."
But within an hour of notifying the insurance company of our story, Jay got a call saying the exception was finally approved.
"It's the only chance he has," she said.
Wit a 20 -30% chance of success Jay is far from being out of the woods.
"I can accept a slim chance," he said. "I can't accept zero.
Jay told KARK it's hard to describe just how relieved they are.
