Consumer Watchdog – Family suing Cigna after company refuses to pay for liver transplant, causing patient to die

CBS-TV Evening News (6:30 PM EST)

KATIE COURIC, anchor: In other news, the tragic death of a California teenager last night just hours after her insurance company reversed itself and agreed to pay for a liver transplant. Now her family is calling for criminal charges. John Blackstone has more.

JOHN BLACKSTONE reporting: As 17-year-old Nataline Sarkisyan lay dying in the hospital, friends and nurses marched on the insurance company that had denied her a liver transplant. The company, Cigna, called the transplant experimental, not covered.

Mr. JAMIE COURT (Consumer Watchdog): Insurers will call anything experimental if its got a six figure price tag.

BLACKSTONE: But yesterday, under pressure, Cigna suddenly changed its mind. Nataline's mother delivered the news.

Ms. HILDA SARKISYAN (Nataline's Mother): Cigna just approved us! I love you guys! God is with me.

BLACKSTONE: But it was too late. Last night Nataline died.

Unidentified Man: They took my daughter away from me.

BLACKSTONE: Today, the family's attorney said he'll press for Cigna to be charged with manslaughter, even murder.

Mr. MARK GERAGOS (Attorney): Cigna Health Corporation literally, maliciously killed her.

BLACKSTONE: Nataline's doctors told the insurance company 10 days ago her liver was failing; she needed a transplant to survive. But twice she was taken off the waiting list when Cigna refused to pay. In her battle against leukemia, Nataline recently had a bone marrow transplant. Her brother was the donor.

Mr. BEDIG SARKISYAN (Nataline's Brother): I gave her a chance. They said she has a chance, and I did my part. Someone else didn't do their part. Someone took that chance away from her.

BLACKSTONE: This week, the California Nurse's Association asked nurses nationwide to phone Cigna in protest. The nurses say insurance companies too often focus on money, not medicine. This is a common story.

Ms. MALINDA MARKOWITZ (California Nurses Association): Oh, this is a common story. This is not isolated. This is not isolated. And I -- it's just a symptom of our health care.

BLACKSTONE: Insurance regulators get 1.3 million calls a year, says the National Association of Insurance Commissioners. Most complaints are about claim denials, delays and low settlement offers. In a brief written statement, Cigna says only that its deepest sympathies are with Nataline's family. John Blackstone, CBS News, San Francisco.