Marijuana: Hawaii Insurer Denies Woman Transplant Because of Pot Use

[Fuzz420]

Waimea, Hawaii, resident Kimberly Reyes died July 27 at Hilo Medical Center, 10 days after her insurance provider denied the liver transplant she needed because she had tested positive for marijuana in a series of toxicology tests. Reyes was not a registered medical marijuana user, but her family told the Honolulu Advertiser she had used it to deal with nausea, pain, and disorientation caused by the hepatitis that killed her.

Reyes' attorney, Ted Herhold of San Francisco, told the Observer that the diagnostic test results were the sole basis for Hawaii Medical Service Association's (HMSA) denial of transplant coverage. Reyes' husband Robin, and her mother, Noni Kuhns, said the decision was based on failure to comply with HMSA's policy forbidding drug use, but that neither HMSA nor her doctors had told her just what that policy was.

"Just because someone takes a hit off of a joint doesn't mean that it should be the end of their life -- this is not a reason to deny life," said Kuhns.

HMSA has refused to comment or provide its policies on drug use and transplant approval.

Denial of transplants to marijuana users has happened before. Last year, Seattle-area musician Timothy Garon died after being refused a transplant because of doctor-recommended medical marijuana use. In 2003, Oregon resident Dave Myers was removed from a transplant list merely for Marinol, a prescription medicine related to marijuana

http://stopthedrugwar.org/chronicle/597/kimberly_reyes_denied_liver_transplant_marijuana

Right to life my ass

 

[WoW maannnn]

they want to kill

 

[Open Eyes]

Legal Murder is what that IS!

 

[JackTheGrower]

We have to change the laws.. They simply saved them selves some profits.

Damn them.

RIP Kimberly Reyes

 

[Blue Dot]

they want to kill

I'm beginning to believe you.

 

[Blue Dot]

The ironic thing is alcohol is proven that it can F'up your liver but among the millions of drugs out there, MJ has never been proven to adversly affect the liver.

You can't die from it and it can't hurt your liver.
Sound like a miracle freakin drug to me so why is it not the most prescribed drug in america?

Lipitrol, really, more effective and safer than MJ? lol

 

[bass ackwards]

I remember a story of an orthopedic surgeon who wanted to do a knee replacement surgery for a patient but the surgery was denied (I don't remember why),frustrated the surgeon contacted the insurance company himself. In the course of his conversation he sarcastically remarked that he could perform an amputation for less than half the cost of the replacement surgery. That procedure was approved! Eventually the replacement surgery was approved because the surgeon forced the approval process to a higher level. It seems to me that the approval process at insurance companies is put in the hands of inept petty bureaucrats who believe it is their job to find ways to not approve claims.
And people say that we don't need health care reform.

Respect bass

 

[idoja]

us. they want to kill us.

 

[DoubleJ]

Who says U.S. healthcare doesnt need reform?

*ducks slowly backwards out of thread*....

 

[Pythagllio]

I'm sure there's no way gov't administered health care would discriminate against pot users in any way, shape or form.</sarcasm>

 

[maxxim]

I'm sure there's no way gov't administered health care would discriminate against pot users in any way, shape or form.</sarcasm>

Did people over 65 just stop smoking all of a sudden?

Just to let everyone know if your in the business of selling these retired people have a shit ton of money and are willing to spend it on good pot. Our parents are now looking to enjoy life after retirement and relive that 70`s feeling. Best of all they have a network of retired friends who are craving also to be normal again.

 

[sunwukong]

This is sickening. Its stuff like this that makes me happy I left medical school. Insurance companies are ruining our medical system. Poor soul. People and companies that deny medical treatment to anyone, anywhere at any time are guilty. If the patient loses a limb, because its not covered under a policy are guilty of bodily harm and should be charged with felonious assault. The people who denied this woman her transplant are guilty of murder. I'm not a proponent of capitol punishment, but this is murder for profit. Not a crime of passion, or hatred or desperation. A company profitted off this woman's death. Plain and simple, take the decision makers out back, get a rusty butter knife and cut out their livers, leave'em to bleed out, present livers to family of deceased and tell them the people responsible are sorry, you made sure they were. We definetly need a change here in this country and hmo's need to be reigned in and made responsible. I

 

[guest]

Perhaps one of these family members of someone who was denied treatment may just lose control themselves and go on a murderous killing spree................Starting with the individuals who run these insurance companies, and I can't say I'd blame them..................In my opinion, as long as these companies are publicly traded their only responsibilities we be only to the share holders, not the patient. Therein Lies the Problem. On the other hand we have government, who would not profit from health care but lets be realistic, They couldn't handle DTV transition, Cash for Clunkers, and a host of other programs that they have put forth. Its a Catch 22 if you ask me.

 

[nepalnt21]

im surprised anyone is shocked. we live in a world ruled by hitlers and stalins.

 

[BUDOGHI]

For insurance companies profit rules. Obama needs to take the profit out of medical insurance now that would be a change. My condolences to the family for their loss.

 

[Maj.PotHead]

same thing has happened to a friend of mines good friend whos been growing over 20yrs he tested positive or MJ and they told him stop get clean or loose your spot for a liver transplant. then he gets to die for sure so he had no chioce but to stop smoken still grows but dosent smoke

 

[Pythagllio]

For insurance companies profit rules. Obama needs to take the profit out of medical insurance now that would be a change. My condolences to the family for their loss.

I suppose you actually think that a gov't provided health plan wouldn't exclude 'druggies' as much as possible, with the possibility being enhanced by all the straight people screaming, 'why should I have to pay for a druggies health care? They did it to themselves.'

When you actually come up with a realistic plan to keep people motivated and productive without the profit motive, let me know. Me, I'm glad I live in a society that allows profit. It brings me a much higher standard of living. No, this particular incident should never have been allowed to occur, but it is a statistical outlier, and does not in any way indict the free market system. I hear over and over about the evil corporations that are just out to make a profit. Would we actually be having this conversation if people weren't allowed to make a profit? I understand that most, if not all advances in personal computing and networking have come about because of some evil corporations like Microsoft and Cisco were only concerned about making a profit.

 

[Skrappie]

It's insurance,

insurers don't want to pay anyone if they don't have to. I really don't think its about canna hating in this case, just about money.

 

[idoja]

maybe health care should not be profit driven. why should a hospital be run like a business?

 

[Pythagllio]

So how would you run it? Like the public schools? We can see what kind of edumacation gets foisted off on the poor and the less white.

Why shouldn't hospitals be run like a business?