Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield office

When KFF Health News published an article in August about the "prior authorization hell" Sally Nix said she went through to secure approval from her insurance company for the expensive monthly infusions she needs, we thought her story had a happy ending.

That's because, after KFF Health News sent questions to Nix's insurance company, Blue Cross Blue Shield of Illinois, it retroactively approved $36,000 worth of treatments she thought she owed. Even better, she also learned she would qualify for the infusions moving forward.

Good news all around — except it didn't last for long. After all, this is the U.S. health care system, where even patients with good insurance aren't guaranteed affordable care.

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