Comedian Vomits Outside Insurance Company in Viral Video to Appeal for Healthcare Coverage of Her Condition
Sandy Honig/Youtube
A comedian has gone viral after choosing an unorthodox way to get her insurance company to cover her medical treatments.
Sandy Honig, known for co-creating HBO Max's Three Busy Debras, revealed on social media that she was diagnosed with gastroparesis, a relatively uncommon disorder that slows or stops the movement of food from the stomach to the small intestine.
"I've been struggling with a stomach disorder called gastroparesis, which causes me to vomit almost everything I eat," she tweeted on Monday.
While there is no cure, Honig said one treatment that has helped her involves receiving botox injections to the pyloric sphincter, the muscle that connects the stomach and small intestine and controls the passage of food.
The botox only lasts for a few months and Honig said she has had to pay out of pocket for the treatment after her insurance company, Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield, said the procedure wasn't medically necessary.
"My insurance denied coverage for a procedure, so I went to their office to appeal their decision," she added.
In the video that has gone viral, Honig filmed herself outside of an Anthem office as she attempted to hand deliver her appeal. After being denied entry to the Los Angeles headquarters without an employee badge, she recorded herself vomiting several times outside the office.
"Nobody would take my letter, but they said I could mail it with any relevant documentation," Honig said in the clip before vomiting into the envelope.
Honig also claimed that the insurance company sent the LAPD to her home.
"It was such a lovely surprise to get a visit from two men armed with guns and batons in my own home," she said. "It's nice to know that even though you won't give me the healthcare I need, you still care."
The comedian's appeal video was shared on all of her social media platforms and quickly got the attention of her insurance company. Anthem responded to the video on Twitter and advised Honig to email them so a representative could look into the matter.
Sandy Honig/Youtube
However, Honig later told her followers that she still wouldn't receive coverage for the treatment.
"Someone from anthem just called me and they 'feel awful' and are 'looking into it'❣️ vomit at ur insurance companies folks!" she said. "UPDATE: nevermind ❣️he called me back and explained to me why they don't consider a botox injection in my stomach medically necessary ❣️i guess now is the time for me to admit it IS cosmetic, I just turned 30 and want the inside of my stomach to look younger."
Representatives later clarified to NBC News that their coverage policies are "based on evidence-based medicine utilizing medical society position statements, leading peer-reviewed medical journals and input from physician specialists across the country."
"We want to ensure Ms. Honig gets the right treatment for her particular condition," the representative added in an email, per the outlet. "Our clinical team has carefully reviewed her case and our medical policies, and the existing medical evidence does not support the treatment she is requesting for her condition. Therefore, it is not a covered benefit under the family's health plan."
