Heart Valve CareLine Helps Save Bob’s Life!
By Adam Pick on October 3, 2018
Bob Taylor was running out of time. His heart valve disease was worsening and his insurance company just denied him a life-saving operation. Then, Bob’s daughter heard about the Heart Valve CareLine. This is Bob’s extraordinary story.
I am so happy for Bob, Sandi, Sarah and the entire Taylor Family. Your resolve to get Bob the treatment he needed is downright inspirational. I also need to thank you for sharing your story in this video. I know that your story is going to help and inspire many, many, many patients in our community.
And… I need to extend a mighty “Thank You!” to the Heart Valve CareLine for helping Bob navigate the complex health and insurance systems! Without your care, without your support, without your passion to help others, it is imaginable that Bob may not be here today. (That means you Erin Singleton, Kelly Alvord and the entire Heart Valve CareLine staff.)
If you, or someone you know, need support accessing the heart valve care needed, I encourage you to contact the Heart Valve CareLine at (866) 318-7892 now.
Keep on tickin!
Adam
P.S. For the hearing impaired members of our community, I posted a written transcript about Bob Taylor and the Heart Valve CareLine below.
Bob Taylor was running out of time. His heart valve disease was worsening and his insurance company just denied him a life-saving operation. Then, Bob’s daughter heard about the Heart Valve CareLine. This is Bob’s extraordinary story.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: There were ambulances outside of the house. My mom was by the door, just really distraught, and that’s when the heart attack had happened.
Bob Taylor: They came home from work one night, and my wife noticed I wasn’t breathing and pulled me on the ground, and I had literally died in the recliner.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: After his second major cardiac episode, he really was not able to get back up on his feet. He wasn’t able to work at his shop. He and my mom went to the cardiologist and said, “Can we do better than this?”
If we were to pursue open-heart surgery to repair the mitral valve, the chances of survival was 1 in 4. The other option was a more minimally invasive procedure that was done through a catheterization, so we decided to pursue the less invasive procedure.
When dad actually got the approval of cardiologists, we checked in at the hospital. The intake person took us back, took dad back. Mom and I waited in the waiting room.
Bob Taylor: So I sat being prepped out, with all the wires hooked up on me and IV in my arm.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: And then the head nurse of the cardiology team came back and let us know that they didn’t have approval from the insurance company, the procedure was denied, and we can’t do the surgery today; we didn’t have coverage, that he needed to get packed up and head out.
Bob Taylor: Which was kind of a shock to hear something like that; “Unhook him. Sorry, Mr. Taylor, your insurance isn’t approved.”
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: I felt really out of my element because we’d done everything that we were supposed to to get this surgery for dad. When we got back to my parent’s house, my mom and I called the insurance company to talk through the denial. He explained the appeals process to us, but it could’ve been in a different language, you know? It was just very, very confusing and nothing that we knew how to navigate.
Bob Taylor: There was just simply disappointment, and I couldn’t believe that they couldn’t see what the doctors were seeing.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: We didn’t know what to do or where to go, so I reached out to friends, asked, “Has anybody gone through this situation before?” I had a friend who was in law school, and she pointed me to the Patient Advocate Foundation.
Erin Singleton: There are many reasons why you might get denied. You could have experienced an out-of-network issue or potentially a non-medical necessity denial. It’s important to pay attention to the reason, and if you do not understand how to appeal yourself, you can call the CareLine for individualized support to help navigate through that complex system.
When Sarah called the organization, she wasn’t sure if we could do anything or if there was a solution to the denial her father faced. We assigned that case to a case manager who determined that there were levels of appeal that could be pursued.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: Our case manager knew how to navigate. She knew the landscape. She knew the language. No, we could not have navigated this system on our own.
Erin Singleton: We understand this is a stressful time in your life, and we want to be here to take that burden away and walk the steps necessary to get to solution.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: The case manager called me, and I was at home, and I just started crying, “Dad can get his surgery!” The decision was overturned.
Erin Singleton: The CareLine will support patients, regardless of insurance status. We are just here to help you get access to the care that your doctor is prescribing.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: The same day that dad got the minimally invasive procedure done, he expressed that his vision was clearer. He expressed that it was easier to breathe. If I had been unwilling to ask, then I never would’ve found out about the Patient Advocate Foundation and the Heart Valve CareLine.
Erin Singleton: The CareLine remains committed in helping you go through every step. We will remain committed to providing that help, regardless of how long that takes.
Sandi Taylor: Life would be pretty sad without him. I will always credit this foundation for saving my husband’s life.
Sarah Mayhak-Taylor: Our case manager, our intake specialist, incredible people – it’s not repayable, so very grateful.
Bob Taylor: I’m grateful that my family is around me and loves me as much as they do, but I’m happier.
Written by Adam Pick
- Patient & Website Founder
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