Public shaming works – but it’s also a sign of how broken the appeals process is in the US health insurance industry

In December 2016, I was hospitalized with severe electrolyte abnormalities that were causing fatigue, muscle cramps and chest discomfort. I received care at my local hospital, which was nationally ranked both overall and in the treatment of endocrine conditions, and I recovered fully.

A month later, my heart sank as I received a letter from Aetna informing me that the hospitalization, amounting to nearly $30,000 in treatment, had been deemed not medically necessary. Coverage was denied.