BROKEN ARROW, Okla. (KFOR) — A woman is battling her insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma, after she received multiple denials for life-saving medicine.
Without the medication, she can’t walk, use the bathroom alone, or even hold a fork.
“I’m sick, and I need medication, and they’re just it’s fallen on deaf ears for some reason,” said Elizabeth Early, who was denied coverage.
Elizabeth Early is a principal at Broken Arrow Schools and is usually running around with her students. Now she relies on medication to walk or even bend her fingers.
She saw News 4’s story last month about a mother fighting for her son to get his life-saving medication covered by insurance, too, and says the same insurance company is doing the same thing to her.
“I do know the longer I go without treatment, the worse off it’s going to be for me in the long run,” said Early.
Early has chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy (CIDP), a rare neurological condition that causes excessive inflammation, which damages the nerves near your brain and spinal cord.
“I literally called my mom, and I said, I need someone to come drive me to the hospital,” said Early.
She was diagnosed earlier this year after she was taken to the hospital with pain in her legs, unable to walk.
That’s when doctors decided to try Intravenous Immunoglobulin therapy (IVIG).
“I received five days of it, six-hour drip for five days straight,” said Early. “So within those seven days on that medicine, I was able to, with a walker, put weight on my feet and able to move a little bit.”
She was on the road to recovery and was about to get another dose of IVIG. However, her insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma, denied coverage of the infusion.
“My doctors went back and looked at everything, appealed that, and sent all the information that they were asking for,” said Early. “Then we got another denial.”
She gained hope after a drug company offered her a free trial of Vyvgart Hytrulo, a daily injection that treats CIDP. However, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma denied coverage of that medication, too.
Early went to the Oklahoma Insurance Department for an external appeal. After review, the denial for Vyvgart Hytrulo was overturned.
News 4 reached out to Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma to ask about the multiple denials.
Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Oklahoma is committed to providing access to quality health care – putting members first and helping them receive appropriate, covered care. We can’t comment on specific member inquiries.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma
We also asked about how the insurance provider decides whether or not to cover care or a medication.
Prior authorization includes a review of a member’s benefits and health condition, and applicable medical policies based on the latest nationally recognized, evidence-based clinical treatment guidelines. We can’t comment on specific member inquiries.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Oklahoma