Post by @Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social

2026-07-17 14:40 UTC

My wife is on the phone with #UnitedHealthcare because a surgery she had scheduled for Tuesday next week was denied by the insurance company. The woman who is speaking to her has informed her that there is a nursing support call that is free of charge if my wife needs to discuss the emotions of getting this claim denied and to plan future care. It is such bollocks. USians generally hate our healthcare plans and these companies. Imagine facing surgery and being told that they won't pay for it, but they will pay for a nurse to call you and console you about their decision. Absolutely horrific. Oh, and I pay nearly $30,000 per year for this level of health insurance for my family. #USHealthcare #PrivateInsurance #MedicalCare #medicine #surgery #healthcare #insurance

Replies (15)

@donaldball@triangletoot.party 2026-07-17 14:56

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social @inthehands@hachyderm.io I also have this insurer and have been pushed to use this feature, thankfully not due to a denial. I vaguely assumed it was offered so that patients with complex cases could get another set of eyes on the situation to make sure they’re not being taken advantage of. Fair enough, if so, but the nurses I talked to, while nice, were hopelessly out of their depth. I assume now they’re just gathering intel in order to help support a denial.

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@PattyHanson@mastodon.social 2026-07-17 15:20

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social I'm sure you've received all sorts of advice, from a former billing & coding person, she needs to ask for 1) the name & credentials of the person who reviewed & denied the authorization & on what grounds 2) the denial in writing, specifying the justification for the denial, code by code 3) the page number in her benefits & coverage book indicating the planned procedure is not a covered benefit Then follow up the phone call with a certified letter signature required to dept head

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@amcooper@toot.cat 2026-07-17 14:41

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social I'm so sorry and yeah I've been through so many versions of this for years now

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@sennoma@chaos.social 2026-07-17 14:54

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social Absolute barbarism. I'm sorry this is happening to you.

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@failedLyndonLaRouchite@mas.to 2026-07-17 14:58

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social as far as I know, most of the money we spend on healthcare here in the US winds up, at the end of the day, as someone's salary so cutting spending on healthcare means cutting salaries and the cuttees are not gonna be happy about that really not sure of the path forward, but I think (not sure) higher marginal tax rates are important :)

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@NorcalGma2@sfba.social 2026-07-19 04:24

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social I am so sorry. I am fighting for surgery for my husband too.

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@tragivictoria@mastodon.com.pl 2026-07-19 12:15

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social Luigi is a cool for children.

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@tragivictoria@mastodon.com.pl 2026-07-19 12:36

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social Luigi is a cool name for children. (I deleted & redrafted previous post, I ate a word, oops)

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@dianea@lgbtqia.space 2026-07-19 16:28

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social I knew a sociopath that worked for UHC. That person would brag in detail about denying claims over the phone and how they dropped the voice a few octaves to fake being their own supervisor. The only recourse that I know is to find a patient advocate with experience in the medical care field that will effectively do the legal work to get your coverage approved.

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@LiveOutLoud@mastodon.online 2026-07-17 15:39

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social ProPublica has a tool for fighting denials, in case it helps: https://www.propublica.org/podcast/health-insurance-industry-secret-external-review

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@jonesmurphy@mastodon.social 2026-07-18 05:25

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social USians are very divided on our health care system. 49% of those permitted to vote voted to cut their own health care in order to give billionaires and trillionaire tax cuts, and that is what we are doing. Trump lost the top 18 states in life expectancy, and won the bottom 18(the most 'prolife' states).

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@CiaraNi@mastodon.green 2026-07-18 06:02

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social The utter greed of them, of it. I am sorry you have to deal with all of this, both generally and specifically. Sending good wishes to your wife, I hope all goes well for her.

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@IncHulk@mastodon.green 2026-07-18 07:40

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social You are paying more per year for a “no-pay” insurance, than many in the EU pay in their taxes that gives them free heath care. The difference is that insurance companies are not stripping out all the $$$ in the EU.

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@aral@mastodon.ar.al 2026-07-18 11:13

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social @darthsandwich@mastodon.social I’m so sorry, Brad. It’s inhumane and unconscionable. Capitalism is cancer. Sending you both all my love.

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@jeridansky@sfba.social 2026-07-18 18:27

@Brad_Rosenheim@climatejustice.social This is atrocious. I'm so sorry for what you and your wife are going through.

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