I started treatment for a rare and deadly autoimmune disease this week. Treatment was delayed by over a month due to insurance denials and pre-authorization beurocracy. In the meantime, significant, irreversible and 100% avoidable damage was done to my kidneys and liver between my diagnosis and treatment. It's shocking how many hoops you have to jump through just to get urgent, life-saving treatment. There are days where I spent 5-6 hours on the phone with doctors, hospitals and Cigna trying to get everything sorted so I could get treatment. I'm also having to deal with the hospital performing the wrong procedure, then going to an unrelated doctor for an order after the fact so they could bill both me and the insurance company. It's been crazy and stressful trying to navigate the situation while sick, exhausted and unable to think or even speak clearly. Something needs to change. Our medical system is severely broken.