10.08.2007

Since when do they get to decided what's best for our kids?

Has anyone had any issues with their insurance company on what they will and won't cover for medical costs?
Since when do the insurance companies get to decided what is best for our children?? We'll, for our family, and our issues with Craniosynostosis, they DO think they know what best for our kids. The battle with the insurance companies is never ending. For many, the Ins. companies like to label our kids surgeries as cosmetic. Cosmetic, can you believe that?
This is a post from my friend, Kaci, who also has 2 children with craniosynostosis. Kaci was our sponsor, and was my "shoulder to cry on" when Carson and Cooper had their surgeries.

"When a condition such as craniosynostosis can cause intracranial pressure and can have life long permanent effects on a child: their hearing, vision, learning, social interactions, .... it has a significant impact on their well being. When you live with a child(ren) that has the condition and has lasting effects from it, it affects the whole family. When we hear that families struggle to get coverage for their child's surgery, it amazes us when they list the reason: "Its cosmetic." Maybe the insurance company should travel to the hospital and visit the children who have the intracranial pressure diagnosis and see what impact it has on their life and what it can cause as a result and maybe they'd not be so quick to make a "cosmetic" decision. Insurance companies need to be open minded that there is a possibility that these kids can have surgeries into their teens (as they hit the next major growth spurt), no matter how slight the risk is for surgery. And again, its not cosmetic. But even if you consider that point alone, without all the damage of ICP, isn't a child's self-worth and the psychological aspect of their life worth something? This isn't a cosmetic "nose job" that the celebrities get. Craniofacial problems are more than cosmetic; they affect more than looks."

It's so true, It affects more than looks. For the children with cranio, it affects their brains - if there is no room for the brain to grow, the brain gets damaged. Their hearing, their vision - if their is a a slightest bit of intracranial pressure, it can affect all of these areas. So, how can these surgeries be considered "Cosmetic"? They are not asking to have a bigger or smaller nose, they are not asking to have a boob job done, they are not asking to have a face lift.....these are considered COSMETIC! All they are asking is to give their brain a little growing room, or so they can swallow with out gaging. I don't know about you, but I would consider these types of surgeries NECESSARY!
If you feel as strongly as I do about this, please go here to read and sign our petition.

Here is a picture of my 2 sets of twins (the 2 younger sets ) and a cousin and her 2 sets of twins.
One of her oldest daughters (who is holding Cooper) has a cleft palate and lip. Within our family, that's 3 kids right there that needed the help of craniofacial team.

Please sign. Thank you.

4 comments:

Denise said...

I'll sign!

Michelle said...

I signed :)

my4kids said...

I signed!

It is a ridiculous thing and I hate that insurance companies do that! We have experienced the fight over whether things were necessary or not with the insurance before. It is very frustrating.

Michelle said...

thank you so much for your comment on my blog the other day!

I'm not familiar with the condition your sons' have/had, but it sure doesn't sound cosmetic to me! I'm sure most surgeons, and parents, wouldn't opt to voluntarily put their child through surgery where they have to cut open the skull, just for cosmetic reasons. That's absurd! sorry to hear you have to fight the ins company on an issue like this. I'll be happy to go over and sign the petition!