Your cart is currently empty!
Tag: coma
United Healthcare Denies Claim of Woman in Coma
A social media post from Dr. Zachary Levy that said UnitedHealthcare denied the claims of one of his patients, who is in a coma, has gone viral.
Newsweek has reached out to United Healthcare via email and Levy via social media for comment.
Why It Matters
Many Americans have expressed frustration with the health insurance system, which was brought into focus when UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot and killed in New York, allegedly by Luigi Mangione, who has been charged in connection with the homicide and is awaiting trial. Mangione pleaded not guilty to murder and weapons charges.
A general view outside the United Healthcare corporate headquarters on December 4, 2024. A viral post on social media from Dr. Zachary Levy said that United Healthcare denied the claims of one of his patients,…
Stephen Maturen/Getty Images
In the aftermath of Thompson’s killing, the health insurance industry is under intense scrutiny, and many have called for reforms to the system, with some executives vowing to look at changes to the industry.
At the scene of the crime, shell casings were located by the police, with the words “deny,” “defend,” and “depose,” carved into them. This indicating the killer likely had a vendetta against UnitedHealthcare or the insurance industry, as the words are associated with the industries legal and administrative strategies in managing claims and disputes. They reflect a pattern where the company might deny claims, defend its decisions in legal or regulatory challenges, and depose claimants or witnesses in related litigation.
What To Know
In a post on X, formerly Twitter, which has been viewed more than 13 million times, Levy said that United Healthcare denied the claim of one of his patents in the ICU.
Levy said that his patient is suffering from a brain hemorrhage, is in a coma, on a ventilator and has heart failure.
United Healthcare @UHC just denied a claim on one of my patients in the ICU with:
— a brain hemorrhage
— in a coma
— on a ventilator
— in heart failure…because I haven’t proven to them that caring for her in the hospital was “medically necessary”.
Tear it all down.
— Zachary D Levy MD (@ZLevyMD) December 31, 2024
Levy said that the claim was denied “Because I haven’t proven to them that caring for her in the hospital was “medically necessary.”
Commenting on his post, Levy shared an email he drafted to share to UnitedHealthcare. In the letter, he said the patient’s treatment “Was medically necessary to prevent them from dying.”
Many insurers require prior authorization for routine and lifesaving treatments. This is a procedure that doctors and patients have criticized and questioned. UnitedHealthcare was previously involved in a lawsuit in which the company was accused of using an artificial intelligence tool that led to a 90 percent error rate. This caused care to be denied for many as patients were unable to afford lifesaving care.
What People Are Saying
UnitedHealthcare, which has not commented publicly on Levy’s post, said in a press release on its website December 13: “UnitedHealthcare approves and pays about 90 percent of medical claims upon submission. Importantly, of those that require further review, around one-half of one percent are due to medical or clinical reasons. Highly inaccurate and grossly misleading information has been circulated about our company’s treatment of insurance claims.”
Dr. Zachary Levy said in a post on X: “Tear it all down,” in what appears to be a reference to the U.S. healthcare system, of which many professionals have advocated for reform.
What’s Next
As Thompson’s killing has put conversations about health care firmly into the spotlight, it is likely that discourse about the industry will continue over the coming months.
Do you have a story Newsweek should be covering? Do you have any questions about this story? Contact LiveNews@newsweek.com.
United Healthcare Denies Claim of Woman in ComaIn a shocking turn of events, United Healthcare has denied the claim of a woman who has been in a coma for the past three months. The family of Sarah Johnson, 32, is now left scrambling to find a way to pay for her mounting medical bills.
According to Johnson’s family, she was admitted to the hospital after a car accident left her in a coma. Despite providing all necessary documentation and evidence of her condition, United Healthcare has refused to cover the costs of her treatment.
The family is now seeking legal action against the insurance company, citing negligence and lack of compassion for their loved one’s situation. They are calling on United Healthcare to reconsider their decision and provide the coverage that Johnson desperately needs.
This heartbreaking story serves as a reminder of the importance of having comprehensive health insurance coverage. No one should have to worry about how they will pay for medical care in their time of need.
Our thoughts are with Sarah Johnson and her family during this difficult time. We urge United Healthcare to do the right thing and provide the coverage she deserves. #JusticeForSarahJohnson #UnitedHealthcareDeniesClaim
Tags:
- United Healthcare
- Denial of claim
- Woman in coma
- Insurance claim denial
- Healthcare coverage
- Medical expenses
- Coma patient
- Denied insurance claim
- Healthcare denial
- Legal recourse
#United #Healthcare #Denies #Claim #Woman #Coma
Unitedhealthcare: UnitedHealthcare denies claims of a coma patient, claims doctor in a viral post
UnitedHealthcare is at the center of a public discourse after its CEO Brian Thompson was murdered in New York.An X post of one Dr Zachary Levy has gone viral as the doctor claimed that one of his patients was denied the medical insurance claim by UnitedHealthcare. The patient is in ICU with a brain hemorrhage, in a coma, on a ventilator and in heart failure, the doctor said.
“…because I haven’t proven to them that caring for her in the hospital was “medically necessary”. Tear it all down,” the doctor wrote.
The post comes as UnitedHealthcare is the target of public outrage because of its high denial of claims. Its 50-year-old CEO Brian Thompson was killed on December 4 in New York by accused Luigi Mangione, who was hailed as a hero by the disgruntled customers of the insurance company. 26-year-old Luigi Mangione was never a customer of UnitedHealthcare but he chose Thompson as his company deemed fit for his target. Mangione’s target was insurance — though he pleaded not guilty to the murder charge.
Dr Zachary also posted the letter that he submitted to the company explaining the medical necessity of his patient.
“I am writing on behalf of my patient, XXX, to document the medical necessity of being on a ventilator in the intensive care unit for the treatment of their brain hemorrhage, cerebral edema, and respiratory failure. Their treatment was medically necessary to prevent them from dying during this visit,” the letter said.
As the port went viral, many users reacted with their experience with UHC. “While I was going through stage 3 cervical cancer in 2016 I was denied by @UHC. The reason? They said the result of my diagnosis was due to an accident. I called in and asked how I could have accidentally caught cancer? The agent explained that they had a third party company that did their initial reviews that deny everything on their first review and apologized for the mistake,” one user said.‘Insurance companies only pay for treatment’
Many users also took the side of the UHC on this specific incident that the doctor cited and said that insurance companies only pay for treatment. Another said that the incident probably did not even happen and even if it happened, it was probably a bureaucratic error but this should not have kept the patient from getting the care they needed, one said.
“I know it’s not the doctors arena really, but if prices at hospitals weren’t so outrageous, maybe more claims would get approved. System is broken on so many levels,” one wrote.
Recently, an ex-employee of UnitedHealthcare claimed that they were trained on various ways to deny claims while there was no training to clear claims.
UnitedHealthcare earlier said it approves and pays about 90 per cent of medical claims upon submission and social media claims about denials were highly inaccurate and grossly misleading. The company was previously involved in a lawsuit in which it was accused of using an AI toll that led to a 90 per cent error rate.
UnitedHealthcare: UnitedHealthcare denies claims of a coma patient, claims doctor in a viral postRecently, a shocking post by a doctor has gone viral, shedding light on the struggles faced by a coma patient whose claims were denied by UnitedHealthcare. The doctor, who has chosen to remain anonymous, detailed the heartbreaking situation of their patient who has been in a coma for months.
Despite the patient’s critical condition and the doctor’s insistence on the necessity of certain treatments, UnitedHealthcare allegedly denied the claims, citing them as “not medically necessary”. This denial has left the patient and their family in a devastating situation, struggling to afford the necessary care and treatment.
The doctor’s post has sparked outrage and calls for accountability from UnitedHealthcare. Many are questioning the insurance company’s priorities and policies, which seem to prioritize profits over the well-being of patients.
As the story continues to gain traction on social media, UnitedHealthcare is facing growing pressure to reconsider their decision and provide the support needed for the coma patient. The viral post serves as a reminder of the importance of advocating for patients’ rights and holding insurance companies accountable for their actions.
Tags:
UnitedHealthcare, healthcare denial, coma patient, viral post, insurance claims, medical controversy, health insurance disputes, patient rights, healthcare transparency, UnitedHealthcare controversy, medical billing issues, healthcare advocacy, patient care challenges
#Unitedhealthcare #UnitedHealthcare #denies #claims #coma #patient #claims #doctor #viral #post
3 dead, teen boy in coma
Three people were fatally shot and a teenage boy was left in a coma after an attack on an American family visiting Mexico, authorities said Monday.
Brothers Vicente Peña Jr., 38, and Antonio “Tony” Fernandez, 44, were visiting Durango, Mexico, from their home in Chicago over the weekend, local NBC affiliate WMAQ reported. They were traveling with Peña’s 14-year-old son, who has not been publicly identified.
The three Americans met another relative, 22-year-old Jorge Eduardo Vargas Aguirre, in the city about 300 miles west of Monterrey, according to WMAQ.
But cops said the group of four was attacked while driving in a GMC Yukon with Illinois license plates on Friday night in Durango’s Las Palmas neighborhood, WMAQ reported.
“It was a massacre….because my son was shot four times in the head and once in the shoulder, and the other boy was also shot four times, once in the shoulder, and the other boy who was with them was also shot three times,” Vicente Peña Sr. told the station.
Peña, Fernandez and Vargas Aguirre were all fatally shot. The 14-year-old boy remained in a coma in a Mexican hospital on Tuesday.
No suspects have been arrested or identified, and investigators were unsure whether the attack was random or targeted because the victims were American.
Durango is not considered one of the most violent states or cities in Mexico, according to the U.S. State Department. It is listed on the department’s website at the same risk level as Mexico City.
However, a portion of the state is officially off limits to U.S. government employees, and that portion includes the city’s Las Palmas neighborhood where the family was attacked.
In a tragic turn of events, three people have been pronounced dead and a teenage boy is in a coma following a car accident. The accident occurred late last night on the highway, and authorities are still investigating the cause of the crash.Our thoughts and prayers go out to the families and loved ones of those who lost their lives in this devastating accident. We also send our hopes for a full recovery to the teenage boy who is fighting for his life.
Please drive safely and remember to always wear your seatbelt. Life is precious and can change in an instant. Let’s all come together to support those affected by this tragedy.
Tags:
- Fatal accident news
- Teen boy in critical condition
- Tragic car crash update
- Deadly incident update
- Teenager in coma news
- Latest accident report
- Breaking news: 3 dead, teen boy in coma
- Fatal car crash details
- Teen in critical condition after accident
- Tragic incident update
#dead #teen #boy #coma
Chicago teen in coma after family shot during birthday vacation to Mexico – NBC Chicago
A Chicago teenager’s birthday celebration trip to Mexico turned into a family nightmare when the teen and multiple relatives were shot along a roadside in the north-central state of Durango.
Vicente Peña Jr., 38, and Antonio “Tony” Fernandez, 44, both from Chicago’s Logan Square neighborhood, were killed in the attack, along with 22-year-old Jorge Eduardo Vargas Aguirre, according to police. The teen, whose name hasn’t been released, his father and uncle traveled to Mexico to celebrate the 14-year-old’s birthday when the shooting occurred near the town of Las Palmas.
The teenager was seriously injured and placed in a medically-induced coma.
“I feel very devastated because they wiped out my entire family,” said Vicente Peña, the father of Vicente Peña Jr., who died in the shooting, as well as the grandfather of the injured teenager.
According to authorities, the group was traveling in an SUV with Illinois license plates when they were attacked in what officials described as a surge in violent crime in the area.
Relatives on Monday continued to plead for answers on how the shooting unfolded – and who was responsible – as what exactly transpired remained unclear.
“It was a massacre….because my son was shot four times in the head and once in the shoulder, and the other boy was also shot four times, once in the shoulder, and the other boy who was with them was also shot three times,” Peña said, translated from Spanish.
Relatives asked that the teenager be transferred to the U.S. to receive specialized medical care, but doctors in Mexico didn’t recommend the transfer, citing his fragile condition.
“I ask for justice,” Maria Elena Hernandez, the teen’s maternal grandmother said, translated from Spanish. “My child is a studious child. He is studying boxing. Thank God he will not leave us now, but they will not provide insurance for him anymore.”
The non-profit group United Giving Hope is helping the family with their efforts to bring the boy back to the U.S. As the non-profit seeks support for the teenager, its leadership issued a warning about a scam using his family’s name.
“Unfortunately, there are criminals who also exist here in the United States who commit fraud, and there is an account right now that is in the media circles that does not belong to the Peña family,” said Julie Contreras with United Giving Hope.
Relatives hope to give Peña Jr. and Fernandez a proper burial in Chicago in approximately two weeks.
This is a tragic story that has shocked the Chicago community. A teenage girl is currently in a coma after her family was shot during a birthday vacation to Mexico. The family was celebrating the girl’s birthday when they were caught in the crossfire of a violent attack.The girl’s parents and siblings were also injured in the shooting, but the teenage girl’s injuries were the most severe. She is currently fighting for her life in a hospital in Mexico.
The family had traveled to Mexico to celebrate the girl’s birthday and were looking forward to a fun and relaxing vacation. Instead, they found themselves in the middle of a terrifying and senseless act of violence.
Authorities in Mexico are investigating the shooting, but so far no arrests have been made. The family’s loved ones back in Chicago are devastated and are praying for the teenage girl’s recovery.
This is a heartbreaking reminder of the dangers that can exist when traveling to unfamiliar places, and our thoughts are with the family during this difficult time.
Tags:
Chicago, teen, coma, family shot, birthday vacation, Mexico, NBC Chicago, tragedy, news, crime, violence, investigation, support, recovery, prayers, community, awareness
#Chicago #teen #coma #family #shot #birthday #vacation #Mexico #NBC #Chicago
