What's New
A Utah family turned their struggle with an insurance denial into a gesture of holiday kindness. After Select Health refused to cover a prosthetic arm for 9-year-old Remington Bateman, citing it as "not medically necessary," the Batemans launched a GoFundMe and raised over $30,000.
When CrowdHealth stepped in to cover the cost of her Hero Arm, the family used the donations to help an 8-year-old boy in Maryland who also needed a Hero Arm.
Newsweek has contacted Select Health and the Bateman family for comment but has not received a response at the time of publication.
Why It Matters
Insurance denials for transformative medical devices pose a significant challenge for families. Devices like the Hero Arm, equipped with advanced sensors to replicate natural hand movements, offer valuable benefits for children's growth, health, and overall well-being. Yet, insurance providers often classify these devices as nonessential, forcing families to depend on public generosity to afford them.
The Batemans' efforts highlight the critical gaps in insurance coverage and the role of community support in overcoming these challenges.
"The reason we shared Remi's story in the first place was to raise awareness of the impact insurance denials have," said Jami Bateman, Remi's mother to Open Bionics.
"Remi absolutely needs this device to aid her in two-handed tasks and activities. It is going to support her spinal and shoulder health as she grows too," she added.
What To Know
Remington's campaign went viral after her mother, Jami Bateman, shared the family's frustrations over the insurance denial. The GoFundMe page rapidly exceeded its goal, raising over $30,000. Shortly afterward, CrowdHealth stepped in to cover the full cost of Remi's Hero Arm.
With the financial burden lifted, the Batemans used the funds to assist another child, Taj, who also faced insurance challenges. Taj's family was overwhelmed by the generosity. "We are just so grateful to Remi and her family. This is a blessing," Taj's mother said, according to Open Bionics.
Remington was equally excited about the opportunity to help others. "As soon as I saw that I had raised enough money to help someone else, I wanted to," she said. "Being able to help Taj means a lot to me."
Remi's prosthetics team emphasized the Hero Arm's potential to enhance her quality of life. Elise Dreiling, her clinician, explained, "We determined that Remi could utilize this technology to great effect. It will improve her life and health. We hope insurance companies will begin to approve more devices for upper-limb amputees."
What People Are Saying
Elise Dreiling, Remington's clinician, Open Bionics Colorado: "We're so glad that Remi will get her Hero Arm. After a careful evaluation, we determined that Remi could utilise this technology to great effect and it would improve her life and health. We hope insurance companies will begin to approve more devices for upper limb amputees that can significantly impact their health and quality of life."
Dave Stark, Internet user, on Instagram: "The biggest story here is that in the richest Nation on Earth that a child or even a parent would have to raise money for something like this."
Karissa Barbados, Internet user, on Instagram: "Love this girl's heart, but denial of insurance coverage is sickening in a situation like this."
What Happens Next
The Batemans plan to keep their GoFundMe campaign active, aiming to assist additional children in need of prosthetics.
English (US) ·