Analysis — Death panels, fact and fiction

By Wendell Potter

“Death panels” are back in the news and Congress is turning its attention to them once again. The problem is, lawmakers are looking in all t

Excerpts from this story referencing "liver transplant":

"… rthday about now had a corporate medical director not refused to pay for a liver transplant Nataline’s doctors believed would save her life.Nataline was diagnosed w …"

"… In mid-December 2007, her doctors at UCLA Medical Center said she needed a liver transplant. They asked for prior approval from her insurer, CIGNA, to pay for it. Nat …"

"… , and I will never know if Nataline would have lived if she had gotten the liver transplant when her doctors wanted to do it. I will also never know if she might have …"

ANALYSIS: Death panels real and imagined

By Wendell Potter

Congressmen like Phil Gingrey continue to scare foks with talk of death panels, while insurers make real life or death decisions

Excerpts from this story referencing "liver transplant":

"… to the point that her doctors at UCLA Medical Center said she would need a liver transplant.Her doctors were optimistic the transplant would save her life. In mid-Dec …"

ANALYSIS: A life-changing event

By Wendell Potter

An insurance company hesitated, and a young woman passed away

Excerpts from this story referencing "liver transplant":

"… , the big health insurer I worked for back then, was refusing to pay for a liver transplant for a 17-year-old girl, even though her doctors at UCLA believed it would …"

"… lucky recipient.Hilda was so confident Nataline would get the life-saving liver transplant that she arrived at the hospital wearing Christmas red to brighten Natalin …"