ROSEPINE, La. (KALB) - A Rosepine man who is battling cancer is raising concerns over Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana over their insurance coverage.Mike Brister was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August of 2023. The cancer has metastasized to the liver, which he said was confirmed in January.“Once I get my liver under control, my numbers, that they would take care of the pancreas. But right now with the histotripsy, they got a clinical trial going on in Spain. In 2025, it should start in the U.S.,” h...
ROSEPINE, La. (KALB) - A Rosepine man who is battling cancer is raising concerns over Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana over their insurance coverage.
Mike Brister was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in August of 2023. The cancer has metastasized to the liver, which he said was confirmed in January.
“Once I get my liver under control, my numbers, that they would take care of the pancreas. But right now with the histotripsy, they got a clinical trial going on in Spain. In 2025, it should start in the U.S.,” he said.
Mike said histotripsy, a non-invasive and FDA-approved procedure, is potentially life-saving and has a high success rate. The National Library of Medicine said histotripsy mechanically destroys tissue through cavitation, rendering the target into acellular debris by using focused ultrasound delivered from outside the body. The material in the histotripsy ablation zone is absorbed by the body within one to two months, leaving a minimal remnant scar.
Despite being approved by Medicare, Mike’s insurance through Blue Cross Blue Shield of Louisiana has denied coverage.
“Histotripsy, they told us that it is investigational, so therefore it is not covered,” said Deborah Brister, his wife. “We did receive a message that our doctor was thinking that they told her if it were in a trial, they would pay for it, but not outside of a trial.”
While the light at the end of the tunnel may have seemed bleak before, State Representative Chuck Owen (R-District 30) stepped in to help their cause.
“He has been super. He has worked so hard,” Mike said.
Mike said Owen spoke with the State Departments of Insurance and Health and Blue Cross directly.
“Due to his work, we did get a phone call on Friday. They are going to set up a conference call with us and the doctors to discuss the procedure,” Deborah said. “They wouldn’t even talk to us before. All we got was a letter of denial or a call from a doctor saying still denied.
“We exhausted all of our appeals. All the credit goes to our representative to get to where we’re at right now,” Mike said.
A GoFundMe account has been made for the Brister family as they continue to raise money for treatment.
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