Living on a Prayer
A local school principal called Young & Healthy one day recently, saying he was desperate and didn’t know where else to turn. He explained that one of his most valued employees was so upset that she could hardly concentrate at work because her 26-year-old daughter, Rosie, had “aged-out” of her insurance coverage. This situation could not have come at a worse time, as Rosie has cancer and her treatments would surely stop without insurance coverage.
Rosie was able to obtain Medi-Cal insurance, but was finding it nearly impossible to access the treatment she so desperately needed. In despair, Rosie went to Mexico to seek any medical help she could find. Unfortunately, that did not work either and Rosie was getting sicker by the day. Her mother was terrified.
The principal’s call to Young & Healthy was all it took before our insurance advocate was quickly working on the issue. He first called Rosie in Mexico to get the details for facilitating the next steps. Understanding the Medi-Cal system quite well, our insurance advocate knew that Rosie would have to change her insurance in order to get the care she needed.
He helped her make the necessary changes so that she could be treated at City of Hope, once she got a referral from her primary care doctor. Our staff then primed her primary care doctor so that he was fully aware of Rosie’s circumstances. With the necessary insurance changes made, Rosie immediately came home to Pasadena and had an appointment within a week to see her primary care doctor. A week afterwards, she had an appointment at City of Hope.
Our “behind the scenes” efforts won’t cure Rosie’s cancer but we sure hope it gives her a fighting chance. We hope you will lift up Rosie with your positive thoughts and prayers.
