Teenager dies despite 11th-hour deal on transplant costs

A 17-year-old American girl died just hours after her health insurance company reversed an earlier decision and said it would pay for a liver transplant.

Nataline Sarkisyan died last night at UCLA Medical Centre in California. She had been in a vegetative state for weeks, her mother, Hilda told the Daily News.

“She passed away, and the insurance (company) is responsible for this,” she said.

Nataline had been battling leukemia and received a bone marrow transplant from her brother. She developed a complication, however, that caused her liver to fail.

Doctors at UCLA determined she needed a transplant and sent a letter to insurer Cigna on December 11.

The Philadelphia-based health insurance company denied payment for the transplant.

Yesterday, about 150 teenagers and nurses protested outside Cigna’s office in Glendale. As the protesters rallied, the company reversed its decision and said it would approve the transplant.

Despite the reversal, Cigna maintained there was a lack of medical evidence showing the procedure would work in Nataline’s case.

“Our hearts go out to Nataline and her family as they endure this terrible ordeal,” the company said in an email statement before she died.

“Cigna HealthCare has decided to make an exception in this rare and unusual case and we will provide coverage should she proceed with the requested liver transplant.”

Officials with Cigna could not immediately be reached for comment last night.