Insurance Company Employees Taunt Mother of Dead Girl

By Mark Lorenz on October 8th, 2009

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There’s a raging debate going on right now about universal health care, whether or not we should have it, who’s cockblocking who, why the terrorists want Barry Obama and ACORN to hunt you down in the night.

But one thing we probably need to hear more of is depressing stories. Hilda and Krikor Sarkisyan’s daughter Natalie needed a liver transplant, but their health insurance refused to cover it. On the basis that it was “too experimental” to be covered. Nine months later, they revised their policies, allowing the procedure to be covered. But it was too late. So she died. Their parents, in their grief, went to confront CEO Edward Hanway at CIGNA’s Philadelphia headquarters. She was stopped by security, who she told, “CIGNA killed my daughter.” After being deferred to a communications representative, police were called, and they were escorted out of the building. While they were being led out, a group of CIGNA’s employees taunted them, including the polite gesture of throwing them the finger.

The Sarkisyans sued their insurance company in a wrongful death suit, but it was thrown out on the grounds of a 1987 Supreme Court decision shielding employer-paid health care plans from damages over their coverage decisions.

CIGNA sent a letter of apology.

[Photo Credit: Geragos.com]