Cigna Flips Off Mother of Dead Girl Who Was Denied Life-Saving Liver Transplant

David Mittleman

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Cigna Corporation denied Hilda Sarkisyan coverage for her daughter’s liver transplant, which ultimately led to the 17-year-old girl’s death in December 2007. If that wasn’t bad enough, it was even more shocking when Hilda went to the company’s Philadelphia headquarters to complain about the incident.

Ten months after her daughter’s death, Hilda went to the company’s headquarters and walked up to the lobby security desk. She simply stated: “you guys killed my daughter” and demanded an apology. However, instead of apologizing, several Cigna employees began heckling her, including giving her “the finger”. Cigna later apologized for the 2008 incident. Nevertheless, Hilda and her husband filed a wrongful-death complaint against the health insurer, aghast at the company for failing to save their daughter’s life and for their poor behavior in response to the family’s grief.

Sadly, the wrongful-death lawsuit was thrown out by a Los Angeles judge, saying that the suit was barred by a 1987 U.S. Supreme Court ruling that protects employer-paid healthcare plans from having to pay damages above maximum coverage limits. However, the U.S. District Court Judge ruled that the Sarkisyan’s could pursue the damages related to emotional distressed caused by the Philadelphia incident. The ruling is bittersweet for patient advocates and Hilda alike: her 17-year-old daughter died because Cigna refused a life-saving liver transplant and now all she can sue the healthcare insurance giant for is for giving her the finger.