On April 18, 2016, my sister Deborah Doss had a ruptured aneurysm while at work. Deborah's coworkers immediately called 911 and she was rushed to the ER. After being "comatose" for almost 3 three weeks, one night she lifted her swollen head and opened her right eye a tiny bit.  It was then that I knew she would survive! 

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee has recently denied her continued coverage for inpatient rehab, where she was receiving rehab therapies everyday.  Our family does not have the resources to pay for rehab therapies - and now with no insurance approval, she had to leave. We want for her to continue daily rehab but as an outpatient she will only receive 30 visits/per calendar year. THIS IS NOT ENOUGH REHAB FOR HER TO REGAIN HER LOST ABILITIES. We can't and won't give up on Deborah's recovery or allow her to go to a nursing home. So here we are together, her family, her friends, and her new supporters, all standing together to help her get the life-saving therapies that she needs.

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Tennessee is supposed to be helping us! My sister needs more therapy - and beyond the 30 visits as an outpatient. It is cruel to limit the amount of therapy a person can get when it is a medical necessity. We shouldn't have to fight for insurance coverage!

And don't think for a moment this can't happen to you or someone in your family!!!  With over 1 million people a year having strokes and brain injuries, and the ages of stroke victims getting younger, we must be active in these decisions that affect the healthcare of ourselves and our loved ones.  And it doesn't even have to be a stroke. You or someone you love could be in a car accident or acquire a brain injury some other way. The human brain controls everything, and when it is injured, it could be a difficult recovery; however, research has shown time and time again that rehabilitation works. Why do health insurance companies fight us on this?

I urge you therefore to sign this petition and pass it on to your friends and family to sign. We have to be the change we want. Brain injuries require a different set of guidelines for rehabilitation than other injuries or diseases and BCBST  MUST make special allowances for these types of injuries or change the guidelines. Sending someone to a nursing home is not a option if they are showing improvements! Sending them home with the minimal amount of rehab therapy is not a treatment option either. 

We are asking for your support on this issue and mostly we ask that you get your friends to sign, and that your friends get their friends to sign.

Please SIGN this petition so we can all help SAVE my SISTER and ourselves.

Thank you so much,

Brenda Doss