
Andrew's Medical Needs
Andrew is a friendly, outgoing, polite 6 year old boy who was born 9 weeks premature with a bleed in his brain causing him to have a mild form of hemiplegic cerebral palsy.
At 3 months old he was diagnosed with chronic constipation & encopresis. He has had numerous tests, biopsies, treatment plans, x-rays, and hospital stays with no solution. Andrew has undergone physical therapy with urology, as well as seen psychologists for anxiety and fears related to both testing and embarrassment of his condition. Due to the continued problems his colon and intestines are severely enlarged causing him to not have control of bowel movements. He has to wear pull-ups and when other kids see these he gets picked on.
Andrew has missed countless days of school due to appointments and issues related to his health. He has been seen by numerous doctors at the Mayo Clinic and also the University of Minnesota Children's GI specialist, both of whom agree that Andrew needs to have comprehensive motility testing. This testing is only done at a few places in the country, therefore the doctors referred him to Cincinnati Children's Hospital. Upon review the staff at Cincinnati Children's Hospital have agreed that Andrew needs a full work up and are ready to schedule the tests.
Unfortunately, our insurance company continues to deny the prior authorization for Andrew's much-needed testing. I have filed several appeals including numerous physician opinions but the medical director for the insurance company continues to deny the requests. I also filed a state fair hearing to have a human services judge hear Andrew's appeal. The insurance company did not show for the hearing to present their case so the judge continued the hearing. How can one medical director's opinion be more valued than that of several specialist with years of experience?
After continued denials by the insurance company I'm told the estimated cost of Andrew's testing is $50,000. This doesn't even cover travel or lodging expenses while we're away from home. The hospital requires a 50% down payment to schedule the testing. If this testing is not done soon Andrew's colon and intestines will become more swollen and inflamed leading to further complications.
At six years old Andrew has seen more doctors and specialists than most people do their entire lives, yet he is still polite and friendly with everyone he comes in contact with. This is extremely hard for me to do but at this point my only concern is my son's health and future. Any amount you're able to donate will help change this little boy's life forever.
Thank you for your support and stay tuned for further updates!
Donations can be mailed to Kathleen Green 560 4th Street SW Plainview, MAN 55964
Or even PayPal [email redacted]
Update #1, We have finally received a approval to schedule the appointments and have scheduled them for the end of August!! However, insurance is not going cover everything, so any help will be greatly appreciated!!!