Firefighters in San Francisco are uniting to fight for their colleague, retired firefighter Ken Jones, who was denied cancer treatment by Blue Shield due to a policy disagreement with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). The dispute highlights the challenges faced by city employees and retirees when seeking medical coverage through the city's health plan.
Jones' case has sparked an investigation into other cases where cancer treatments have been denied by Blue Shield. The city's mayor has vowed to support firefighters, stating that the city will "get to the bottom of this" and ensure those affected receive fair treatment. San Francisco Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Connie Chan sent a letter to the health service system, expressing their concerns and promising to use every available tool to hold Blue Shield accountable.
The issue has drawn attention from organizations such as the Cancer Prevention Foundation, which notes that firefighters with cancer diagnoses have a higher mortality rate compared to the general population. Tony Stefani, with the foundation, said that "65% of men and women in our profession are going to contract some form of cancer in their lifetime, some of whom will be fatal."
Blue Shield has defended its policies, stating that they must follow medical policy established by CMS and ensure patients receive safe and effective care covered under Medicare. However, the company acknowledged that members have appeal rights through independent review organizations designated by CMS.
The dispute raises questions about the adequacy of health insurance coverage for city employees and retirees. As one supervisor asked, "What can the board do?" The city's response will likely involve a thorough examination of its agreement with Blue Shield and potential breach of contract claims.
In a show of solidarity, current and retired firefighters gathered at City Hall to demonstrate their support for Jones and other affected individuals. The event highlights the importance of advocating for workers' rights and ensuring that those who have served their communities receive fair treatment in the event of illness or injury.
Jones' case has sparked an investigation into other cases where cancer treatments have been denied by Blue Shield. The city's mayor has vowed to support firefighters, stating that the city will "get to the bottom of this" and ensure those affected receive fair treatment. San Francisco Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Connie Chan sent a letter to the health service system, expressing their concerns and promising to use every available tool to hold Blue Shield accountable.
The issue has drawn attention from organizations such as the Cancer Prevention Foundation, which notes that firefighters with cancer diagnoses have a higher mortality rate compared to the general population. Tony Stefani, with the foundation, said that "65% of men and women in our profession are going to contract some form of cancer in their lifetime, some of whom will be fatal."
Blue Shield has defended its policies, stating that they must follow medical policy established by CMS and ensure patients receive safe and effective care covered under Medicare. However, the company acknowledged that members have appeal rights through independent review organizations designated by CMS.
The dispute raises questions about the adequacy of health insurance coverage for city employees and retirees. As one supervisor asked, "What can the board do?" The city's response will likely involve a thorough examination of its agreement with Blue Shield and potential breach of contract claims.
In a show of solidarity, current and retired firefighters gathered at City Hall to demonstrate their support for Jones and other affected individuals. The event highlights the importance of advocating for workers' rights and ensuring that those who have served their communities receive fair treatment in the event of illness or injury.
firefighters are literally dying over this 
65% of firefighters will get cancer lol what's next? 
solidarity with Jones and all the other affected ones 
this is so messed up blue shield's policy is literally killing people 
firefighters are already putting their lives on the line every day, you'd think they'd get some decent health coverage 
but nope, they're just supposed to deal with it 
meanwhile cancer treatment denial is just gonna lead to more funerals for families who can't afford it 
I'm so frustrated with this situation... like, what's up with these insurance companies? They're just denying people cancer treatment because they don't agree with some policy or whatever 
. It's not right! I mean, firefighters are putting their lives on the line to save others, and then when they get sick or hurt, the company is like "Sorry, we're not helping" 
.
. Cancer treatment can be super expensive, and if you don't have good insurance... forget about it 
.
. They deserve fair treatment, and we should be advocating for them 
. I just hope they can figure out a way to make sure everyone who needs cancer treatment gets it 
it's not like they're asking for a free ride, they're just trying to get the care they need after serving their community.
At least have some compassion? 
The city's got its back (or should I say, Blue Shield's got the city's back?)... we'll see how that plays out. 
It's all about profit and paperwork at the end of the day. I'm not surprised they'd deny Ken Jones treatment. Those guys are just waiting for someone to get sick or injured so they can weasel their way out of paying. 
I'm so shocked by this Blue Shield thingy... how can they deny cancer treatment to someone who's already retired from firefighting? 
And I don't think it's right that Blue Shield is just following some policy from CMS without considering individual cases. 
Maybe they should have like, more flexibility or something? 
The city needs to get to the bottom of this and make sure their employees and retirees are taken care of. That's what I'm saying! 
. like what even is the point of having a system in place if they're not gonna back it up? 
65% of firefighters will get cancer?! that's just insane 
. I mean, we're already talking about retirement age, what if they're still working? 
. But I'm still curious about what this means for city employees and retirees who might not have the same kind of support 
. We gotta make sure they get the help they need, not just because its the right thing to do, but also because it's the law. We can't let corporations like Blue Shield dictate what's best for our citizens 
when they retire. It's crazy that insurance companies can just deny treatment because of a policy disagreement 
. I'm all for workers' rights 
. This is not just about Ken Jones, it's about all the firefighters who might be affected by this policy 
. Maybe it's time to re-examine that agreement with Blue Shield and make some changes 
.
.
. I'm all for supporting firefighters and whatnot, but come on, let's not be too quick to jump on their backs over this one...
️. It's crazy how Blue Shield thought it could deny a cancer diagnosis without consequences 
. Something needs to change, like now 
. We should all be standing with Ken Jones and demanding better for our first responders