Please help the fight!

[aetnasucks]

Dear Community,

I am too tired and exhausted to describe in detail my wheelchair nightmare with AETNA. Please check out my petition and show your support for the disabled!

http://signon.org/sign/aetna-wheelch...p&r_by=5174066

Many thanks!!!

[t8burst]

Originally Posted by aetnasucks

Dear Community,

I am too tired and exhausted to describe in detail my wheelchair nightmare with AETNA. Please check out my petition and show your support for the disabled!

http://signon.org/sign/aetna-wheelch...p&r_by=5174066

Many thanks!!!

It you can't be bothered to explain why Aetna sucks then why would I bother to click your link?

[cheesecake]

while I may agree that Aetna sucks and they delayed and denied my wheelchair for over 19 months, once I worked with a Case manager, the chair denial was overturned immediately.

FWIW, Aetna as well as most insurance companies follow Medicare guidelines.

CMS sucks!

[aetnasucks]

PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION: http://signon.org/sign/aetna-wheelchair-fraud

AETNA: STOP denying the disabled, sick, and those with genetic disorders the specialized wheelchairs they so desperately need.

My AETNA wheelchair nightmare began in 2011, when a rare genetic disorder caused my hips, along with my other joints, to dislocate, creating inoperable tears. Since surgery on me is impossible, several top surgeons in the country from the Hospital for Special Surgery and Mt. Sinai prescribed me a wheelchair--a totally devastating reality for a 32 year old. Even though numerous prescriptions and letters from these top surgeons were sent to AETNA for my specialized wheelchair, AETNA has denied me my wheelchair for six months, and repeatedly engaged in recorded cases of insurance fraud to prevent me from obtaining the wheelchair ordered for me by the Wheelchair Clinic at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Since I am unable to ambulate without a wheelchair, AETNA's illegal persistence in denying me the wheelchair to which I am entitled under my plan and the law has significantly impacted my daily functioning, and sadly led to subsequent unnecessary physical damage, for which I will now need to undergo surgery. The physical, emotional, and mental toll from this insurance nightmare has made my life unbearable.

Sadly, my wheelchair nightmare with AETNA is not unique. My surgical and wheelchair team at HSS said that AETNA is by far the worst insurance company for the disabled and sick who need wheelchairs. On average, it takes at least six months with AETNA--if one is lucky enough--to get the wheelchair they require, because AETNA tries every trick in the book to stall and deny the sick and disabled essential durable medical equipment. Needing a wheelchair at such a young age is hard enough, but AETNA's discrimination against the disabled and those with genetic disorders, combined with insurance fraud, adds major insult to injury.

Even though most of you reading this are not disabled, I too never thought I would be disabled and need a wheelchair. Unfortunately, this horrific ordeal can happen to anyone--and often does, especially with AETNA.

I am starting this petition to make as many people as possible aware of AETNA's practices towards the disabled, especially with regard to denying wheelchairs to those who need them the most. I will also be filing a complaint about this with the New York Bureau of Insurance, and taking legal action. Thanks to my media contacts, I will also be sharing my AETNA-wheelchair- nightmare on the radio on NPR and in print soon with the NYTimes. Thank you so much for your signatures and support--it means the world!

[aetnasucks]

Dear Community,

I have been waiting for my specialized wheelchair from AETNA for eight months now and now am reporting them for insurance fraud for what has happened to me. I am at the end of my rope and in tremendous pain, as I cannot ambulate and being forced to try to do so (on copious amounts of Opana) has led to even more damage that will now require surgery. Please join me in this fight--which is a fight for life, as AETNA's illegal game playing is making me having thoughts of suicide. Thank you for your help and support.


---
PLEASE SIGN THIS PETITION: http://signon.org/sign/aetna-wheelchair-fraud

AETNA: STOP denying the disabled, sick, and those with genetic disorders the specialized wheelchairs they so desperately need.

My AETNA wheelchair nightmare began in 2011, when a rare genetic disorder caused my hips, along with my other joints, to dislocate, creating inoperable tears. Since surgery on me is impossible, several top surgeons in the country from the Hospital for Special Surgery and Mt. Sinai prescribed me a wheelchair--a totally devastating reality for a 32 year old. Even though numerous prescriptions and letters from these top surgeons were sent to AETNA for my specialized wheelchair, AETNA has denied me my wheelchair for six months, and repeatedly engaged in recorded cases of insurance fraud to prevent me from obtaining the wheelchair ordered for me by the Wheelchair Clinic at the Hospital for Special Surgery.

Since I am unable to ambulate without a wheelchair, AETNA's illegal persistence in denying me the wheelchair to which I am entitled under my plan and the law has significantly impacted my daily functioning, and sadly led to subsequent unnecessary physical damage, for which I will now need to undergo surgery. The physical, emotional, and mental toll from this insurance nightmare has made my life unbearable.

Sadly, my wheelchair nightmare with AETNA is not unique. My surgical and wheelchair team at HSS said that AETNA is by far the worst insurance company for the disabled and sick who need wheelchairs. On average, it takes at least six months with AETNA--if one is lucky enough--to get the wheelchair they require, because AETNA tries every trick in the book to stall and deny the sick and disabled essential durable medical equipment. Needing a wheelchair at such a young age is hard enough, but AETNA's discrimination against the disabled and those with genetic disorders, combined with insurance fraud, adds major insult to injury.

Even though most of you reading this are not disabled, I too never thought I would be disabled and need a wheelchair. Unfortunately, this horrific ordeal can happen to anyone--and often does, especially with AETNA.

I am starting this petition to make as many people as possible aware of AETNA's practices towards the disabled, especially with regard to denying wheelchairs to those who need them the most.
I will also be filing a complaint about this with the New York Bureau of Insurance, and taking legal action. Thanks to my media contacts, I will also be sharing my AETNA-wheelchair- nightmare on the radio on NPR and in print soon with the NYTimes. Thank you so much for your signatures and support--it means the world!

[~Lin]

what is your genetic disorder?

you first said surgery on you is impossible, and later said that you now have to undergo surgery due to waiting for a chair.

[arndog]

Hello Aetna, welcome to the pain forum.

You say that you are unable to ambulate without a wheelchair. Ambulate means bipedal walking to me with or without hand held assistive devices such as a cane, crutch, walker, wheeled walker, quad cane, etc. Does that mean than you are able to ambulate with a wheelchair? How does the wheelchair help you ambulate? Do you walk behind it like a walker?

Just trying to understand. Thanks for explaining.

[GL]

Even though most of you reading this are not disabled, I too never thought I would be disabled and need a wheelchair. Unfortunately, this horrific ordeal can happen to anyone--and often does, especially with AETNA.

Sorry to hear about your nightmare & I sympatheize with your pain / struggles and all sometimes things plain suck

Majority here % wise is Disabled
I am one indeed
If I wasnt I wouldnt need a wheelchair or my baclofen and lyrica , other meds etc....
BTW thats me in my old wheelchair behind the Sportster

No I am not crouching or kneeling I was sitting in my wheelchair lol

[DaleB]

aetnasucks: Read contracts you sign BEFORE you sign them.

Purchasing insurance is signing a contract, whether you understand it, or not. That's the content of all the paperwork you had to sign in order to get coverage, in the first place.

Please, enlighten me as to the particular section of the contract you signed which indicates you are entitled to what you claim, based on premiums paid, and whatever the doctors you have on your payroll say, you should get.

I'd love to read that benefit plan:

"It is here by sworn that any and all medical devices or procedures that any licensed doctor in the USA should deem helpful for the undersigned shall be paid for, in full, and without contest."

YEAH RIGHT!!!!!!!!!!!

What country do you live in, bro?!?

[~Lin]

this is also a repeat post of the thread started in the equipment section. I actually thought I had replied to that thread, I didn't realize it was a duplicate until I saw arndog say welcome to the pain forum. Maybe a moderator should combine?