Insurance company denies covering medication for condition that 'could kill' med student, she says

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (WDAF) — Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City denied coverage of a medicine that a Missouri woman says could save her life, leaving her with a monthly bill of over $8,000.

“I was at risk for spontaneous internal bleeding that could kill me,” Kaitlyn Sy said.

Sy, a University of Kansas medical student, said she's fighting back just weeks after a near-death experience. She’s been forced to pause her medical studies while waiting for this medicine to be approved, compromising her already weak immune system.

Sy conducted her interview with Nexstar's WDAF over Zoom, unable to do it in person because of her condition.

Sy has dreamed of becoming a doctor since middle school, "whether that be bringing hope and healing to fellow humans, intellectual stimulating work of diagnosing and treating diseases, being involved in medical research."

But three years ago, doctors diagnosed her with an autoimmune disease that mistakenly attacks the platelets in her blood cells.

When she bleeds, there’s nothing to clot those cells. Sy says that could cause life-threatening bleeding. For years, no treatment worked well for her.

Just weeks ago, that scenario happened: Sy was forced to go to the ER to treat internal bleeding. Her hematologist had one more option, a pill called Promacta that could stabilize this issue. Things changed when Sy got to the pharmacy.

“The pharmacy tech — her eyebrows go up — and I said, 'This can’t be good.' And she says, 'This medication is going to cost you over $8,000.'"

Sy said she can’t afford to pay the bill every month. She called her insurance company, and they stood by the denial.

WDAF asked her provider, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City, about the denial, but was told that the company could not comment on the matter.

“At Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas City (Blue KC), we are committed to the health and wellness of our members," reads the company's statement, in part. "Two of our primary responsibilities are to safeguard our members’ health information and protect their privacy. Because of this, we cannot talk about the specifics of this, or any other, case."

As of today, Sy is still without the meds her doctor prescribed. But she knows she's not alone in her situation, so for the sake of the people who have no one to fight for them, she says she will refuse to be silent.

“There are thousands if not millions of other people who are suffering due to being denied and delayed this medically necessary treatment and I feel … I owe it to these patients to use my voice to make their voices heard,” she said.

In the meantime, friends of Sy's have started a GoFundMe to raise money for her medical costs.