Don't get sick in the United States

When CIGNA Health Care insurance denied coverage to Nataline Sarkisyan, it signed the 17-year-old's death warrant. Eventually, as a result of a public outcry, CIGNA relented, but it was too late and the young woman died Dec. 21, 10 days after CIGNA first refused coverage. Sarkisyan needed a liver transplant, which CIGNA denied, ignoring the urgent appeal of her physicians claiming the procedure was "experimental." CIGNA committed murder because some bean counter decided that Nataline Sarkisyan's life was not as important as CIGNA's bottom line. CIGNA, by the way, advertises itself on its healthcare Web site, as "a business of caring."

California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger supports a new healthcare plan that would require all California physicians to purchase insurance products from big companies like CIGNA, but it doesn't address the problems that resulted in Nataline Sarkisyan's death. I guess her parents won't be voting for the govern-ator's re-election. And for a wealthy man like Arnold, the issue of paying for heathcare is not a problem. If one of his kids needed a liver transplant, he'll just write a check. We should all be so lucky. Attorney Mark Geragos, who represents the Sarkisyan family, said last week that he will as the California State Attorney to press murder or manslaughter charges against Cigna HealthCare. Well, that was my first thought, but I live in the real world, so I know that will request will go nowhere.

A side issue, of course, is that the hospital, which was aware of the seriousness of Sarkisyan's condition did not offer to perform the transplant procedure without first being assured it would be paid. Hospitals in the United States are famous for offering free medical services to any Iraqi kid who is injured, but will not do the same for US citizens.

I realize that neither insurance companies or hospitals are in business to lose money. But they are playing with people's lives and something substantive must be done. The first liver transplant was performed in 1963. Living donor liver transplantation have been done since 1983. I have no idea on what CGNA based its decision to refuse coverage because liver transplants are experimental and fall outside the scope of coverage. But they took the Sarkisyan's premium checks and refused to cover a life-saving procedure that has a track record of success. It was only when they were pushed by the concerted efforts of citizens and the California Nurses Association that the company reversed their decision, and probably they do so because of the bad publicity. But, by that time, it was too late and Nataline Sarkisyan died. Paying for insurance coverage will not assure you that you will receive needed care. More insurance is not the answer.

The American Medical Association will be happy to assure you that we have the best medical care in the world--but what no one will address is that people sometimes do not have access to that care. What no one will admit is that profits are more important to giants like CIGNA than the life of one of their subscribers. Profit is at the bottom of everything. Profit is the reason why the American Medical Association and physicians fear universal healthcare. If we have a system of universal healthcare, we wouldn't be at the mercy of heartless giants like CIGNA. Nataline Sarkisyan survived cancer only to be done in by corporate greed. And no one will pay for her death, no one will be held accountable. Should the Sarkisyan family sue, CIGNA will settle out of court and raise premiums to cover their financial loss. Meanwhile, their investors will continue to profit from the misery of others.