What happens when your care is denied?

Beth fights to walk again

Recently START received a call from Beth. She had fallen and broken both femurs. Within days of being discharged from the hospital and landing in rehabilitation care, her insurance company denied all further physical therapy. 

START helped Beth gather the documents she needed to appeal to her insurance company for continued care. Even though a denial can be difficult to overturn, in Beth's case, START's advocates overwhelmingly showed there was no medical justification for this denial.   

Beth won her appeal. But merely winning one time is not enough. Beth's insurance company denied her access to standard Medicare benefits again and again and again. Working with START, Beth appealed and won repeatedly! If Beth had lost these appeals, her out-of-pocket costs would have exceeded $60,000.  

Kare11 recently reported on the escalation of these coverage denials. Beth’s case was denied initially because the artificial intelligence (AI) systems of her insurance company calculated that Beth's recovery was unlikely. Beth proved them wrong by showing incredible improvement in just a few days. Seventy-five days later, she was able to walk up and down eight stairs and is now preparing to be discharged to her home.   

You made Beth’s remarkable recovery possible. Because of you, Beth had fierce advocates at her bedside fighting for her access to the care she needed. Now she can be laser focused on her continued recovery without financial worry. 

Your donations provide this level of knowledgeable advocacy to older adults caught in this frightening squeeze between AI calculations and Medicare coverage denials. We hear from seniors regularly about these coverage denials.  

Your generous support gives overwhelmed, sick and injured patients who need care the skilled advocates they need to mount a formidable appeal. Your generous support helps all of our clients, especially clients like Beth. 

Thank you. This is one of START’s David vs. Goliath stories. I am so proud of what START’s amazing team accomplishes with your help.