"Peyton suffered a brain injury in an April 28 motorcycle crash, but he was allegedly denied care at a top rehab facility because UnitedHealthcare deemed it 'not medically necessary'"
Posted on 09/04/2026 9:46:55 AM PDT by DFG
A mother has said she feels 'helpless' and called UnitedHealthcare money-hungry after the insurance company allegedly denied covering her son's rehab for a brain injury.
Peyton Alvarez, a 25-year-old airline mechanic at PSA Airlines, crashed into a tree while riding his motorcycle in Greenville, South Carolina, on April 28.
Although he was wearing a helmet and other protective gear, the collision caused a serious brain injury that left him unconscious for a month and a half. Doctors told his mother, Trina Alvarez, that Peyton may never wake up.
But the young man eventually opened his right eye in early June, and he can move his left arm and wiggle his toes when prompted, Trina told the Daily Mail.
Peyton's mom submitted a claim with her son's insurance plan, managed by UnitedHealthcare through his employer, and she made the arrangements to have him transferred to the Shepherd Center in Atlanta, a top brain injury rehabilitation facility.
But on July 7, Trina was crushed when she received a denial letter from UnitedHealthcare, which stated that Peyton's treatment at the facility was 'medically unnecessary.'
'It is so frustrating. It makes me so angry that they can control what happens with my son because the longer he stays at the hospital he's at, the less chance he has to wake up,' Trina told the Daily Mail.
'When you push a parent to the point of feeling like they are helpless, and may contribute to whether their son may ever be able to talk or move his arms and legs or sit up on his own, that should not be allowed,' she added.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.com ...
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"Peyton suffered a brain injury in an April 28 motorcycle crash, but he was allegedly denied care at a top rehab facility because UnitedHealthcare deemed it 'not medically necessary'"
Why did he crash into a tree? Just curious.
“Oak Tree you’re in my way.”
Good question.
At least the Golden Retriever is ok.
> …Peyton’s treatment at the facility was ‘medically unnecessary.’ <
Who makes that determination? Something similar happened to a relative of mine, although the injury was not nearly as severe as this guy’s.
In my relative’s case, I was told that the insurance company has a staff of doctors. One of them is chosen at random, and that doctor reviews the patient’s records remotely. The doctor does not actually examine the patient.
So here’s what I’m thinking. A doctor who approved of more treatment than the norm would be quietly dropped from the program.
By the way, my relative’s claim was denied by the remote doctor.
By the way #2, When you hit 65, do your research before picking an Advantage” medical plan. They’re run not by the government, but by insurance companies.
Blame Obamacare.
South Carolina uses the federally-operated Obamacare “marketplace” which decides which crony-insider insurance companies get to play in the sandbox, and what they offer.
Ironically, Obamacare and the American Left also created the likes of Luigi Mangioni (who killed the CEO of United Health) because of “evil insurance companies.”
So we have a bizarre example of a quasi-socialist state-run system deciding “winners and losers” while at the same time encouraging political radicals to call for the destruction of the very same system
Why is United Healthcare covering a 25 year old? I thought they were for retirees?
No excuse to murder health insurance execs. Just sayin’
Shame the insurance into action. That’s a technique.
I truly feel sorry for the boy and family.
Frankly, this boy is lucky and no matter what the final outcome, it’ll be about as good as it can be may the family realize this now or not.
His mother is fighting for him, and having people helping him along, keeping up his spirit (if conscious), advocating for him with insurance, medical staff, etc. is a (((HUGE))) help. The mere hearing of sounds, seeing things, them talking to him, makes him use his brain!
I can only respect this mothers effort in doing ANYTHING she can to help her son.
I hope he recovers. I do not say this in cliche. I have personally witnessed someone that was written off as brain dead, where the family was being pushed for organ donation, recover! He over dosed on drugs, his friends were scared and abandoned him not notifying the authorities. By mere chance, the mother left work early that day and found her son in the bathroom, basically dead on the floor. This man isn’t 100% today, but he has a girlfriend, laughs and knows who he and his family are, job, lives independently... Especially with (((YOUNGER PEOPLE))), things often look horrible in the beginning and it’s easy to despair, but it eventually starts improving little by little.
Medicare Advantage is private insurance BUT IT IS FUNDED by the government. They will do everything they possibly can to deny benefits.
Humana took one of my meds that was $90 copay for 90 days last year and this year is $700 for same 90 days. This is the Linzess that is advertised on TV at $30 copay for 90 day.
Medicare laws force us seniors to pay the exorbitant price. Thank you Congress idiots.
In Maine too.
Leftists have effectively shut many competitors out of the state leaving the two hospital systems and BCBS as the determiners of what happens with health insurance.
‘But the problem is, getting him to a four is dependent on him getting in the [Shepherd Center] program. That’s what they do is get them further,’ the mom told the Daily Mail.
She added that over the past few days, Peyton has been awake for hours at a time and holding his head up on his own.
‘I know that the more stimulation he gets, the better he’s getting,’ Trina said, emphasizing that the sooner he gets the treatment he needs, the likelier he is to have a more significant recovery.
Another solution is for the family to get him up to a 4 to get him there. They still are in control of somethings.
Damn evil Republicans!! They disnt do enough to stop the democrats from passing Obamacare. Sure, not one Republican voted for it, but somehow it’s their fault or something.
No.
There but for the grace of God could be you or I. It is a hard situation.
I can tell you stories about this when dealing with my wife.
LOL!
Just curious as I am starting to look at my options.
Right now I am leaning towards taking the High-Deductible Plan G Medi-Gap plan, wondering what others’ experience with it has been.
I’ve socked away a lot of money in my HSA account, so I am hoping that will cover a good portion of my expenses, so I can handle the deductibles.
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