A Lincoln woman with stage IV kidney cancer is joining Nebraska lawmakers to protect other cancer patients from having to “jump through hoops” to get much-needed medications. Cathy Martinez’s insurance denied paying for one of her expensive cancer drugs in June. After KETV Investigates aired a story about her condition, pharmaceutical company Merck agreed to “gift” it to her, recently extending the medication for another year. “I’m still stable. My next checkup will be in February,” Martinez said. She is able to continue her daily work at home and volunteer at an advocacy organization she is helping to establish for people with disabilities. “Community,” Martinez said. Martinez is grateful for all the prayers and help she has received. And Merck, which makes Keytruda.KETV Investigates, first told you last summer how its insurer Medica stopped paying for the drug. After our story aired, Merck stepped in to continue paying for the drug, which costs about $28,000 every three weeks. “It just provides us peace of mind that I will be protected for at least an additional year,” Martinez said. Now, the 52-year-old is not only fighting for her life, but to protect others from deprivation. Insurance coverage for expensive treatments. “What’s the point of investing all this money into producing these drugs if insurance companies aren’t going to pay for them and if insurance review boards aren’t going to make them pay for them?” Martinez said she plans to testify in support of LB 1024, introduced by state Sen. Elliott Bostar, at a legislative hearing Tuesday. It would restrict insurers from providing any documents or information related only to the cost of the drug in the event of an external review of coverage. “How do you put a price on someone’s life?” Martinez said. Medica told KETV Investigates in June that the cost of the medication was not a factor in Martinez’s case. She said the manufacturer’s instructions did not recommend its use within the past 24 months. Martinez said her doctor recommended she continue taking the medication. In the review, the Nebraska Department of Insurance said the drug was not required because Martinez’s cancer is incurable and can only be treated. “It treats mental illness. It just treats it. Diabetes medications don’t treat diabetes. They treat it. So where do we draw the line,” Martinez said.
A Lincoln woman with stage IV kidney cancer is joining Nebraska lawmakers to protect other cancer patients from having to “jump through hoops” to get the medications they desperately need.
Cathy Martinez’s insurance denied paying for one of her expensive cancer drugs in June.
After KETV Investigates aired a story about her case, pharmaceutical company Merck agreed to “gift” it to her and recently extended the drug for another year.
“I’m still in stable condition. My next checkup will be in February,” Martinez said.
She is able to continue running her day job at home and volunteer at an advocacy organization she is helping to found for people with disabilities.
“Being a contributing member of the community,” Martinez said.
Martinez is grateful for all the prayers and help she has received. And to Merck, which makes Keytruda.
KETV Investigates first told you last summer how her insurer Medica stopped paying for the drug.
After our story aired, Merck stepped in to continue paying for the drug, which costs about $28,000 every three weeks.
“This gives us peace of mind that I will be protected for at least one more year,” Martinez said.
Now, the 52-year-old is not only fighting for her life, but to protect others from being denied insurance coverage for expensive treatments.
“What’s the point of investing all this money into producing these drugs if insurance companies aren’t going to pay for them and if insurance review boards aren’t going to make them pay for them?” Martinez said.
She plans to testify in support of LB 1024, introduced by state Sen. Elliott Bostar, at a legislative hearing on Tuesday.
It would restrict insurers from submitting any documents or information related only to the cost of a drug in an external review of coverage.
“How do you put a price on someone’s life?” Martinez said.
The cost of the drug was not a factor in Martinez’s case, Medica told KETV Investigates in June.
She said the manufacturer’s instructions did not recommend its use within the past 24 months.
Martinez said her doctor recommended she continue taking the medication.
The Nebraska Department of Insurance said in its review that the drug was not required because Martinez’s cancer is incurable and can only be treated.
“If that’s their standard, then I’m not curable, I’m just treatable. What other medications are next? Mental illness medications don’t treat mental illness. They just treat it. Diabetes medications don’t treat diabetes. They cure it.” “Where do we draw the line,” Martinez said.