Keith Olbermann Takes on Kyler's Story
Kyler VanNocker's parents and attorney will discuss their lawsuit against HealthAmerica, which has denied medical coverage needed to save Kyler's life.
Keith Olbermann Takes on Kyler's Story
Ronnie Polaneczky, Daily News Columnist
Flaks for the Harrisburg-based HealthAmerica insurance company wouldn't comment on my column Tuesday about the lawsuit just filed by the family of Kyler VanNocker, the 5-year-old neuroblastoma patient who needs treatment that HealthAmerica has decided not to cover.
So I doubt any HealthAmerica spokespeople will chat tonight with MSNBC's Keith Olbermann, when he discusses Kyler's case on "Countdown."
Tonight's segment (scheduled for about 8:15pm) will be a follow-up to the one Olbermann did about Kyler on Tuesday. Kyler's dad, Paul VanNocker, and the family's attorney, David Senoff, will be on hand to discuss the lawsuit and to tell the tale of HealthAmerica's inexplicable denial of coverage that Kyler needs to save his life.
Thankfully, Kyler underwent two of the expensive radiation treatments at CHOP anyway - at a cost of $110,000, for which the financially bankrupt VanNockers are now responsible - and he responded very well to them.
Take that, you HealthAmerica death panelists.
To read my December column about the VanNocker's fight to save Kyler's life, click here.
Comments (78)
Comon America, keep cheering for the corporations, see how they love you back. God Bless the Republicans....
Private health insurance decides who lives and who dies, when it comes to allocating medical care. They decide how well you live and how miserably, if undertreated or inadequately attended because of cost. The health reform is reform for every one. All of our elected officials know this.
My goodness. Will this insanity ever end? Ronnie - you are undeniably brain dead. There can be no doubt about this. WHAT ON EARTH DO YOU MORONS (INCLUDING \FISHTOWNYO AND FERNANDO) THINK THE GOVERNMENT WILL DO WHEN THEY TAKE OVER HEALTH CARE? WHAT DO YOU THINK THEY ARE REFERRING TO BY CREATING PANELS TO DETERMINE "BEST PRACTICES" AND "EFFICACY"? Is there a brain in anyone's head at this paper?— ignatius- Good for you for advocating for this child and his family. What's your point about death panels?— Bruce in PA
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- Ignatius, the corporations have been very successful instilling fear into your life. These abuses will continue until the profit motive is removed from the health care equation.— furiousj
- ignatius we are eager to hear what you would do to reform health care in this country.... Or do you think it is just fine?— BlueLightGo
- everyone has a song and dance.if this was government run,he would have died years ago.9-11 inside job.— booker t
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- ignatius, are the Health insurance companies doing the death panel thing already? They deny treatment based on financial reasons, don't they? Ohh, that's expensive, just die already!
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- DemocRats had the presidency, a filibuster-proof 60-40 majority in the Senate, and a 21-seat majority in the House (257-178), but it's the Republican's fault their health care scheme didn't pass? And what makes you think this procedure would be covered under the Democrat scheme?— fafafooey
- Oh, they're going on Olbermann to tell their story? Shame nobody will see it since nobody watches that guy's show. They might want to pick a different advocate, someone not about one step from being declared mentally insane.— realisticobserver
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- Yeah, put the gov't in charge of health care because the ESPN guy says so...LOL, maybe that kind of thinking works in Fishtown, but not the rest of the world.— Thegreat1
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- DOBERMAN IS A TOOL.— booker t
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- Great - I have HealthAmerica and they have denied small stuff, just because it's too costly for them. And we have a hard time going to another carrier due to 'pre-existing' conditions. A hang nail could qualify as pre-existing to these money makers. Love the fact that clerks at these health ins companies can deny what your doctor prescribes. Hope no one in my family gets sick.— moebile
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- Fastest way to torpedo your cause is to have this clown promote your agenda. Only two other people watch his show beside himself, Madcow and Tingly Leg Mathews.— junethe4th
- Can't stomach Olbermann...absolutely an insufferable narcissist. Anyone else but him...— rbpeeple
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- Has it come down to this? That we listen to a blowhard Keith Olbermann? I am suppose to feel better that Keith speaks up for the little guy? So according to Ronnie and Keith ALL insurance companies are bad..bad. No economy in the world can spend unlimited funds on health care.— zjimmyjcb
- Health Care should be a not for profit industry.....— BlueLightGo
- how come those with insurance seems to think everything in the insurance business is great as is?hey realisticobserver.how do you know no one watches olbermann? you seem to know a lot about the show.— sophwill
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- The Federal Gov't is no different than a private corporation except that the Feds don't operate for profit...yet.We are going to have to pay the Chinese back sometime.It will not matter because the country is too focused on greed at all levels,private or Gov't.The health insurance industry needs to do what is right for the PATIENT FIRST,not their balance sheet,same with Obamacare,but we all know that will never happen.— philly fan in cheyenne
- Don't you all realize that this father is working, paying for insurance for his family? 'Poor Kid - greedy corporation....provide care for the greater number of people" How dare you say that? You try working all day, stay up all night with a dying child, fight the insurance company, lose everything you have so your child has a chance. When you walk the walk you can come up with solutions. Until then.....do unto others....I would say to all of you who think you are so smart to thank your lucky stars you are not in this family's situation. This child is an American....or did you forget that? His famiy reads your comments or are you too brain dead to realize that??? Shame.— lakemimi
- lakemimi, republcans/regressives/conservatives have no shame.— DarkKnight76
- Ignatius, I believe you are the one that is brain dead, and to think you have taken a name of one so enlightened. Your serf like comments defending the role of this healthcare company is unfathomable. After reading this article, my dimwitted friend, what exactly are you advocating? I understand that government involvement may not be the best answer, but are you inferring that the present course we are on is the best answer? Letting this child, a child of God, perish is not only outrageous it is immoral. You seem quite comfortable with name calling but you offer not a semblance of creditable dialogue. I pray that you do not have the audacity to kneel at the rail on Sunday you usurping charlatan.— Papist
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- Ronnie - how about investigating the government health plans (SSDI, Medicaid) that deny patients needed treatment? There are scandals & denial rates there that the MSM refuses to investigate because it doesn't fit the socialist agenda. Investigate the PATTERNS there, not the one extreme example that fits your script. Also, notice the child did receive the necessary care and was not DENIED by the evil private hospital for lack of payment. I'm not defending the insurer here by any means, but please, investigate the government health plans!!!! Any legal aid office can point you in the right direction...— RightWingnut
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- Does anyone think this poor child would get better treatment under Obamacare? Look at England and Canada to see how patients fare and are treated with advanced or aggressive malignancy. Any health insurance company, whether private or government run, cannot and will not pay for every treatment for every patient. Obamacare probably would have denied coverage in this case too, it just would have taken much longer. Why do people continue to think that if the government runs health care, they can do it better than a private company? Cannot have health care reform without tort reform. With tort reform, you can save untold billions and maybe then there will be enough money to cover experimental treatments. Personally, if he was my child, I would be willing to go into bankruptcy to pay for this.— 23
- It seems like a pointless waste of time to go on Obermann's show to bring attention to this story. Nobody watches and the guy is about as of his rocker as they come...this story being on Philly.com will probably reach as many people if not more. I'm sure some charity founded and run by some greedy capitalist will help this family out while our politicians jump on this as an example of why they should be the ones running healthcare and why greedy capitalists are whats wrong with the world.— cujat13
- Always good to see the followers of the Prophet Rupert and his Apostles Bill, Sean, Glenn, Sarah, and Rush are here with their death panels and the horrors of government run healthcare, with their hatred for Olbermann as a blow-hard, unlike their right-wing apostles. As someone who has dealt with Medicare and Medicaid for four elderly members of my family and with Social Security, I am here to praise, not bury government-run programs. The defenders of the insurance companies are clearly not unemployed, have not been rejected yet for a pre-existing condition, have clearly not been helped by medicare and social security, and love the health care system as presently constituted, one of the worst in the industrialized world and the only system dependent on employment for coverage. The prophet Rupert and his Apostles love you, while they reside in their mansions and have health care none of you can even imagine.— chuckw
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- To all the slow and dimwitted that are turning this into some kind of partisan discussion, knock it off. It is like trying to referee a bunch of unruly 5th graders. This kid needs compassion and consideration, while you insufferable tools argue D and R this kid slowly dies. The fact is this company is heartless and cavalier, which by some of the comments seems to be quite acceptable. We wonder why the world hates us, it is not our government it is us. We are a throng of tools relishing in our own demise. Remember we will be judged on how we treated the least of us, "whatever you do to the least of my brother, that you do unto me". I feel sorry for the hateful partisans who have posted here, and if any of you attended Mass regularly, shame on you! You obviously haven't listened to a damn thing our religious have been teaching. Thank God Sister Dominica isn't here to read all of your babble.— Papist
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- We have wonderful health care in this country. Let us make sure that the money spent on insurance goes to take care of people; like kyler not for a big bonus at the end of the year for the CEO's of the insurance company. We can either plug into the greed or stand up for what is right for our families. We will be judged by how we stand up for our children.....and some day they will be standing up for us...how will they judge what we have done??— lakemimi
- I love the post office. Why does everyone rip the postoffice.— philsoutthecomment
- Hey Ronnie. Sad story but how much are you contributing?— manly
- I might be mistaken, but I think Olbermann also works for a large greedy corporation in MSNBC, owned by GE, which has been stealing the money of its stockholders for atleast 10 years now and still keeps their CEO in charge as he drives the stock price into the gorund. Besides he is too busy showing his knowledge of other items liek tea party people are the new KKK along with his daily rants about Beck and Limbaugh to even find time to squeeze this story in. Olbermann is a clown along with being a very angry hatful person. He is bitter that his catch phrases and act went out liek yesterdays trash and ESPN booted him becasue he thought in his mind he was he greatest thing since sliced bread. Maybe NBC will wake up one day and realize nobody watches the pregame show on Sunday nights because Olbermann and his washed up partner Dan Patrick are annoying and thier act is old.— reddog44
- Gee, I thought we were talking about this insurance company and this child....why do you go right to the government and say the government will do the same thing? Ignatius??? stay on topic.— lakemimi
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- the term government takeover is a misnomer and only a republican or faux news shill would use that term. you people amaze me with your stupidity. you fools are voting for and openly calling for mesures that against your own self interests, why?? Oh right because Fox news told you this was BAD. "springboard a discussion to what we should do..." How about hold insurance co.'s accountable to providing service they agreed to provide and while we're at NO other country in the world allows people to go bankrupt for health care !! You tell someone they are too stupid to live. How ironic would it be if your insurance company decided not to cover you or your loved ones?? Go Away...— bosshog
- LAKEMIMI: Are you serious? I am SQUARELY on topic here. Did you not read the blog post we are commenting on? Ronnie is shaking her pom-poms over the fact that this story is going on Olbermann, who is a noted advocate of government takeover, and he will use this story as "Exhibit A." Plus, Ronnie makes the dippy "take that HealthAmerica death panelists" comment, which is a not so hidden reference to the fact that she feels it is the INSURERS who have death panels, but not government! Do you seriously not grasp all of this?— ignatius
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- Boy, I love when people respond to facts with insults. How about another Medicare success story - I can't wait until the gov't charges me $8,000 for a bee sting on a technicality. And let me tell you, I'd rather fight against a private insurer than the government on an appeal: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/dannywestneat/2011027743_danny10.html— RightWingnut
- This is about a child dying, a five year old child that does not have a choice in what happens to him but has the determination to keep going. It is about parents who work hard, pay for insurance, stay up all night with their sick child, and have the COURAGE to fight for their child even when they have been turned down by the insurance company. This fight, no matter what you may think about the media, gets the word out about what is happening in real life...not in the "probably" world of what might be. Again, when you walk the walk you can tell me about who is squarely on target here. I believe: we are ALL Americans, we should stick together and demand that our current system of insurance companies take care of our children. Period.— lakemimi
- Because I, unlike you ignoramuses welcome opposing viewpoints.— bosshog
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- Nothing sends the the right-wing nutters more spastic than Olbermann's name (except maybe Will Bunch.)— No Ids
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- Hey papist, please do not reference the bible while commenting on a story about an innocent child suffering from a terminal disease. Your god must be some evil, sadistic dirtball to inflict this sort of pain and heartbreak on this child and his family. Everything is god's will right? We all "thank god" when something good happens and then people like you claim "free will" when you question god when something goes bad right? Then since this innocent child is too young to cause this himself, it must have been god right? What a nasty, mean, horrendous ghost you worship. Sickening. But please pray for me, just in case. I like to cover all my bases. K, thanks.— phillyjeffsr
- Olbermann is a mean spirited whining POS.— zen
- Have fun trashing corportations my liberal friends! Because if health care goes the way you want it too, we'll be telling horror stories like this about getting treated for the common cold. Experimenting on treatment for diseases that this young man has is very expensive in itself. If we're talking six figures for treatment, I wouldn't be so quick to judge some sort of huge profit is involved. After all, what's the good of charging so much for something if nobody can afford it? It's sad but true. It costs a lot to research medicine. And as for those "evil" profits, I would hope the people taking on the responsibility of saving lives are well compensated.— Greg V.
Olberman? What doesn't Mr. T have a talk show?- shame, no one will see this now
- There may be no atheists in foxholes....but their are no Republicans when their medical bills are crushing them or they are in need of disability pay. Amazing how liberal lifelong Republicans become when misfortune hits them.— JonKap
- Of course Olbermann has lower ratings....just like most Americans are fat. Americans have no interest in the truth or living like adults. They want to believe the fairy tales the right wing feeds them, its their donuts. Yum. Just like they tuned out the people who predicted the housing bubble crash 3 years ago.. It did not 'taste' good when they could just use their houses like ATMs.— JonKap
- I love how people still refer to the Democratic healthcare proposal as a government takeover... Kids, The public option is dead, remember? This was one of many compromises by the dems to get this thing past (along with tort reform, multi-state availability, tax cuts, etc). Yet the new radical right wing republican party still won't come on board. And many of you commenters are just thoughtlessly spitting out their talking points with no forethought whatsoever... Please use your brains. Afterall, decisions matter and our country is at stake! In this specific case however, as horrid as it is... I have to agree with Bag O cheese- up until he/she compares Olberman to Hitler. Way to go there pal...— centercityisthebest
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- Agree that Olbermann is not the guy to have on your side. No one watched him and he has wacked out beliefs.— brian2706
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- This child is currently eligible for government health insurance. It is available in PA right now, no need to wait for congress or the president. All disabled children (cancer qualifies) in PA are automatically eligible for state insurance, regardless of their family's income. There is no need for the family to go bankrupt due to medical bills prior to being eligible. They are even eligible if they already have private insurance. Why aren't any of the people in these articles mentioning that? This makes no sense to me. If he has government insurance at the state level and they are not covering this treatment, how does that make a case for having government insurance at the national level? As a matter of fact, all children in PA are now eligible for CHIP http://www.chipcoverspakids.com/about-chip/what-is-chip/ PA has complete government health insurance for children.— tmdb1
- This child is currently eligible for government health insurance. It is available in PA right now, no need to wait for congress or the president. All disabled children (cancer qualifies) in PA are automatically eligible for state insurance, regardless of their family's income. There is no need for the family to go bankrupt due to medical bills prior to being eligible. They are even eligible if they already have private insurance. Why aren't any of the people in these articles mentioning that? This makes no sense to me. If he has government insurance at the state level and they are not covering this treatment, how does that make a case for having government insurance at the national level? As a matter of fact, all children in PA are now eligible for CHIP http://www.chipcoverspakids.com/about-chip/what-is-chip/ PA has complete government health insurance for children.— tmdb1
- ignatius, you are a butthead— Va. EagleFan
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When my phone rings here at the Daily News, nine times out of ten the caller begins the conversation with, “Yeah, so what happened was…”.
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Ronnie Polaneczky has been an award-winning columnist for The Philadelphia Daily News since 1999, offering a front-steps perspective on every aspect of city life, from the sublime to the stupid. In her past life, she was the editor-in-chief of Atlantic City Magazine, associate editor at Philadelphia Magazine and a fulltime freelancer published in Ladies Home Journal, Good Housekeeping, Redbook, Reader's Digest, Men's Health, MarieClaire and others. She lives with her husband, daughter and various pets in the city's Fairmount section, where she dreams of one day singing The National Anthem at an Eagles game. In addition to her column and blog, you can enjoy Ronnie's musings in podcast form here.
Read more from Ronnie Polaneczky at Earth to Philly, the Daily News blog on anything and everything "Green
Reach Ronnie at polaner@phillynews.com.
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