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February 11, 2010

Insurance Company Sued for Denying Treatment to 5-Year-Old Cancer Patient
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In Philadelphia, the parents of a cancer-stricken five-year-old boy are
suing the insurance company Health America for refusing to cover medical
treatment that could prolong their son’s life. The boy, Kyler Van
Nocker, suffers from the rare childhood cancer neuroblastoma. Health
America is refusing to pay for treatment known as MIBG, because it’s
“investigational/experimental” and its effectiveness hasn’t been
clinically proven. Health America had previously covered treatments that
didn’t meet the same criteria and ended up helping save Kyler’s life.
The hospital where Kyler is being treated has provided the MIBG
treatment for free in the hopes Health America will reverse its stance
or Medicaid will cover the costs. The Van Nockers say the treatment has
improved Kyler’s health and may even have eliminated some of his tumors.



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