A cancer patient in Colorado had her insurance suspended over a dispute about one penny.
LaRosa Carrington calculated her payments to COBRA insurance herself. She sent her insurance company, Discovery Benefits, $165.15.
Carrington suffers from Leukemia and needs chemo treatments five days a month. She was shocked when she found out the insurance was refusing to pay for her treatments.
Discovery Benefits claimed that her bill was actually $165.16 and suspended her benefits over one penny. It turns out that the actual bill was $165.15.45. Carrington had rounded down while the insurance company had rounded up.
"I'm in the hospital receiving chemotherapy; I can't get you a money order," Carrington told the company rep. After she threatened to call the media, the company reinstated her benefits.
MSNBC's Keith Olbermann named the president of Discovery Benefits "Worst Person in the World" Wednesday. Reinstatement of Carrington's benefits "had nothing to do with her saying she would talk to the media," Olbermann said sarcastically.
"John Bywer, president of Discovery Benefits, the work place health insurance administration company based in North Dakota-- Discovery Benefits, they will let you die for one one hundredth of a penny -- today`s Worst Person in the World," announced Olbermann.
