Blue Cross and Blue Shield denied payment for the proton therapy Robert “Skeeter” Salim’s doctor ordered to fight his throat cancer. But he was no ordinary patient. He was a celebrated litigator. And he was ready to fight.
The reason Blue Cross took this case all the way to court is simple, to send a message to anyone else denied “be prepared to spend millions fighting us, oh and you still have cancer so you’ll likely die soon”.
I’m sure they figured since he was stage 4, he’d die and they wouldn’t have to deal with it anymore. The lawsuit was probably just stalling for time along with the message.
It’s a win, but it feels so small when you think of all these other patients before him who could have been cured or lived longer with fewer side-effects in the dystopian hellhole that is the US health insurance ecosystem.
That’s good for them, but makes you wonder just how many people get refused but lack the resources to fight this or end up settling or forgoing care.
That’s sad
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