Cigna's Denial of Lung Transplant for Cancer Patient Sparks Controversy
Cigna Healthcare, a major health insurance company, admitted to making an error when it initially denied coverage for a double-lung transplant to a 47-year-old woman with lung cancer. The patient, Carole Taylor, was informed of the denial just as she was preparing for the procedure at Vanderbilt University Medical Center. Following public outcry and Taylor's own account of the ordeal, Cigna reversed its decision and stated that it would cover the transplant. Taylor will be reactivated on the transplant list, but the medical team will need to find a new pair of donor lungs. The incident highlights the challenges faced by patients who require organ transplants and the importance of insurance coverage in accessing life-saving treatments.