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Seth Petreikis is a six-month-old baby trying to dodge a death sentence.

Seth Petreikis will receive the thymus transplant that may save his life. His mother, Becky Petreikis, said she received a call shortly after 2:30 p.m. Friday from MDwise, Petreikis' Medicaid provider. Becky Petreikis said MDWise will partner with Hoosier Alliance to cover the surgery. Duke University Medical Center will also partner, Petreikis said. "It's an amazing miracle," said Becky Petreikis, thanking everyone who emailed and donated.



He was born in Dyer, Indiana earlier this year with a rare and usually fatal condition called complete DiGeorge syndrome. A genetic malfunction on his 22nd chromosome kept him from developing a thymus, an organ that helps develop white blood cells, and led him to have serious heart defects.

Babies born with complete DiGeorge are unlikely to see their first birthday, and almost never survive past the age of two.

Of the sixty children who have received the transplant, only two did not survive, and they suffered from other unrelated complications. The rest have gone on to live healthy, normal lives. One of Dr. Markert's patients is a perfectly healthy 17-year-old senior in high school.

"These cases are rare and the reason why state regulations exist," [Indiana FSSA spokesman Marcus Barlow] said. "We don't want them reviewed on a case-by-case basis. ... There's quite a bit of due process based on very specific rules."


http://www.nbcchicago.com/news...-Life-111518334.html
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quote:
The Death Panel comment was defended on this forum as being Gospel from Palin. I claimed that Death Panels already exist and of course I was correct. Again. As always. Keep the image of that little guy in mind when you start blathering about denial of care.

Could you show your quote? The discussion I had was when (pretty sure it was you) said Fox was stirring people up by claiming there would be death panels. I corrected you because I had heard what Fox reported and they did NOT say there would be death panels, they said that was what people FEARED would happen.
quote:
RNC Chairman Michael Steele just appeared on the Neil Cavuto show, where he endorsed Sarah Palin's accusation that President Obama will set up "death panels" to decide who is worthy or not of medical care."Well I think it's proper," said Steele, when Cavuto asked him about Palin's remarks, "because it's in the context of what people are seeing in some of the legislation that's floating around out there. When you're talking about panels that are gonna be imposed, that will be making life-and-death decisions, that will be making decisions about whether or not you get health care or don't receive health care, I think that's perfectly appropriate."
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
quote:
RNC Chairman Michael Steele just appeared on the Neil Cavuto show, where he endorsed Sarah Palin's accusation that President Obama will set up "death panels" to decide who is worthy or not of medical care."Well I think it's proper," said Steele, when Cavuto asked him about Palin's remarks, "because it's in the context of what people are seeing in some of the legislation that's floating around out there. When you're talking about panels that are gonna be imposed, that will be making life-and-death decisions, that will be making decisions about whether or not you get health care or don't receive health care, I think that's perfectly appropriate."
That was not what you posted. You said Fox REPORTED there would be death panels-they did no such thing. They said that was a fear people had. You spin better than my Whirlpool washer. Now tell me how this man's opinion equals FOX saying it. Rangel was on yesterday talking about taxes, and trying to deny that he avoided paying them himself. So in your mind that means Fox reported Rangel didn't evade paying his taxes?
quote:
Originally posted by Jennifer:
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
quote:
RNC Chairman Michael Steele just appeared on the Neil Cavuto show, where he endorsed Sarah Palin's accusation that President Obama will set up "death panels" to decide who is worthy or not of medical care."Well I think it's proper," said Steele, when Cavuto asked him about Palin's remarks, "because it's in the context of what people are seeing in some of the legislation that's floating around out there. When you're talking about panels that are gonna be imposed, that will be making life-and-death decisions, that will be making decisions about whether or not you get health care or don't receive health care, I think that's perfectly appropriate."
That was not what you posted. You said Fox REPORTED there would be death panels-they did no such thing. They said that was a fear people had. You spin better than my Whirlpool washer. Now tell me how this man's opinion equals FOX saying it. Rangel was on yesterday talking about taxes, and trying to deny that he avoided paying them himself. So in your mind that means Fox reported Rangel didn't evade paying his taxes?


I said no such thing. I said:

quote:
The Death Panel comment was defended on this forum as being Gospel from Palin. I claimed that Death Panels already exist and of course I was correct. Again. As always. Keep the image of that little guy in mind when you start blathering about denial of care.

As a medical professional, I will say there is nothing called a death panel. However, there are people working in the insurance industry making decisions affecting the health, and life, of you and your family. These people ARE NOT medical professionals, but they ARE hired to decide what their company will or wont pay for. I agree that it will get worse and is already a death panel, in disguise.
quote:
I said no such thing. I said:


You know what I'm talking about. The other thread, and the assertion FOX was reporting there'd be death panels, which was not correct. I'm not referring to this thread. You like to make it up as you go along. Just like the thread you started stating Cheney was going to be arrested.
quote:
Originally posted by zippy:
As a medical professional, I will say there is nothing called a death panel. However, there are people working in the insurance industry making decisions affecting the health, and life, of you and your family. These people ARE NOT medical professionals, but they ARE hired to decide what their company will or wont pay for. I agree that it will get worse and is already a death panel, in disguise.
I think I know what you're talking about. They follow your health care and try to "cut corners", get you out of the hospital as soon as possible etc. One thing about the baby in question, they have a fund set up for him, and I wish there was a way to get updates. I feel pretty confident they will get the funding for his surgery. His chances for surviving after the surgery doesn't sound all that good, but fingers crossed that he will surprise us.
quote:
Originally posted by Jennifer:
quote:
I said no such thing. I said:


You know what I'm talking about. The other thread, and the assertion FOX was reporting there'd be death panels, which was not correct. I'm not referring to this thread. You like to make it up as you go along. Just like the thread you started stating Cheney was going to be arrested.



I have no idea what you're referring too, and I'm not sure you know either.

The issue with Cheney has yet to be resolved, though KBR/Haliburton has paid about $600million in criminal fines for bribery in recent months, I suspect that Cheney et al will buy their way out of trouble rather than face extradition for trial.
quote:
The issue with Cheney has yet to be resolved, though KBR/Haliburton has paid about $600million in criminal fines for bribery in recent months, I suspect that Cheney et al will buy their way out of trouble rather than face extradition for trial.

Spin spin spin. You posted he was facing arrest. First you knew what I meant by the other thread, you posted about it, now you don't.
quote:
Originally posted by Jennifer:
quote:
The issue with Cheney has yet to be resolved, though KBR/Haliburton has paid about $600million in criminal fines for bribery in recent months, I suspect that Cheney et al will buy their way out of trouble rather than face extradition for trial.

Spin spin spin. You posted he was facing arrest. First you knew what I meant by the other thread, you posted about it, now you don't.



You are an irrational troll.

There are plenty of news report about Cheney and the action of the courts in Nigeria. Read them.
You forgot to mention the baby is on Medicaid, and has already had open heart surgery.

The same Medicaid that Obama wants another 16 million added to.

The board ruled the procedure is experimental, happens to people with real insurance too.

The only 'death panel' is rules formed by your US government.

I shall pray for an answer for the little guy.
quote:
Originally posted by b50m:
You forgot to mention the baby is on Medicaid, and has already had open heart surgery.

The same Medicaid that Obama wants another 16 million added to.

The board ruled the procedure is experimental, happens to people with real insurance too.

The only 'death panel' is rules formed by your US government.

I shall pray for an answer for the little guy.


You forget to get an education...I forgot nothing. The rationing of care has and will continue and has nothing to do with any new government action.
The experimental procedure has produced remarkable results, as already mentioned but I will repeat in hopes that you can get someone to read it to you:

quote:
Of the sixty children who have received the transplant, only two did not survive, and they suffered from other unrelated complications. The rest have gone on to live healthy, normal lives. One of Dr. Markert's patients is a perfectly healthy 17-year-old senior in high school.


I made a donation to Baby Seth and would encourage everyone to do the same
Fundraising Website for Baby Seth
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
The Death Panel comment was defended on this forum as being Gospel from Palin. I claimed that Death Panels already exist and of course I was correct. Again. As always. Keep the image of that little guy in mind when you start blathering about denial of care.


Hmmmm...I don't recall the thread about death panels; I do, however, recall a conversation about "death camps" and remember very clearly nominating Jack Kevorkian for "camp counselor." Big Grin Wink

Private health insurance providers have been acting as death panels for years. They deny and approve procedures at their discretion all the time.

Rationing has been happening for years, too. If we didn't ration people wouldn't be visiting emergency rooms for a cold now would they?

If you don't have money and can't afford insurance, you die...and that's okay by most Republicans' standards. That's the kind of rationing we've come to accept in this country, a so-called Christian country, btw.
quote:
If you don't have money and can't afford insurance, you die...and that's okay by most Republicans' standards. That's the kind of rationing we've come to accept in this country, a so-called Christian country, btw.

No one is denied health care. Everybody knows someone that has gotten free medical care. Go to any health department and sit a while. Atheist btw.
quote:
You forget to get an education...I forgot nothing. The rationing of care has and will continue and has nothing to do with any new government action.
The experimental procedure has produced remarkable results, as already mentioned but I will repeat in hopes that you can get someone to read it to you:

Per the article, the Medicaid board deemed it experimental, therefore no pay. If you think you can get any where when they have already decided, write to the medicaid board.
Well why doesn't he go to the health department as b50m admonished those with cancer to do a few posts back concerning this same subject? As for the dining room chair Jennifer, not even going to respond to the garbage.
Great post Juan. As usual the Foxiphiles turn a blind eye and deaf ear if it shows them up as liars and heartless hypocrites but it is the children and defenseless who suffer at the hands of the republicans, in this CHRISTMAS season. If there is a hell, it is inhabited and the population will continue to grow with REPUBLICANS!
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
quote:
Originally posted by Jennifer:
quote:
I said no such thing. I said:


You know what I'm talking about. The other thread, and the assertion FOX was reporting there'd be death panels, which was not correct. I'm not referring to this thread. You like to make it up as you go along. Just like the thread you started stating Cheney was going to be arrested.



I have no idea what you're referring too, and I'm not sure you know either.

The issue with Cheney has yet to be resolved, though KBR/Haliburton has paid about $600million in criminal fines for bribery in recent months, I suspect that Cheney et al will buy their way out of trouble rather than face extradition for trial.


As extradition treaties allow a nation's citizen to be sent to his home country for trial, not a US citizen to be sent to another nation for trial, I'd say Cheney has no worries!
quote:
Originally posted by elinterventor01:
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
quote:
Originally posted by Jennifer:
quote:
I said no such thing. I said:


You know what I'm talking about. The other thread, and the assertion FOX was reporting there'd be death panels, which was not correct. I'm not referring to this thread. You like to make it up as you go along. Just like the thread you started stating Cheney was going to be arrested.



I have no idea what you're referring too, and I'm not sure you know either.

The issue with Cheney has yet to be resolved, though KBR/Haliburton has paid about $600million in criminal fines for bribery in recent months, I suspect that Cheney et al will buy their way out of trouble rather than face extradition for trial.


As extradition treaties allow a nation's citizen to be sent to his home country for trial, not a US citizen to be sent to another nation for trial, I'd say Cheney has no worries!


Using the usual tactic lintfilter, avoid the subject: A Thug classic Bait and switch. How do you feel about insurance companies and the republicans they support killing babies? SPIN SPIN SPIN
quote:
Originally posted by Jennifer:
quote:
If you don't have money and can't afford insurance, you die...and that's okay by most Republicans' standards. That's the kind of rationing we've come to accept in this country, a so-called Christian country, btw.

No one is denied health care. Everybody knows someone that has gotten free medical care. Go to any health department and sit a while. Atheist btw.


The only ones who get free healthcare are the illegals. Everyone else (without insurance or a way to pay) ends up filing bankruptcy - another kind of death.

Hospital billing departments are notorious for their inflexible policies where repayment is concerned, and they're pretty quick to sell a patient's information to a debt collection agency. Medical care through a hospital ain't free.

If you need a vaccination or condoms, the health department is the answer, but they don't treat cancer patients or people with heart disease.
quote:
If you need a vaccination or condoms, the health department is the answer, but they don't treat cancer patients or people with heart disease.

I went to get a copy of a birth certificate. It cost me $12.00 at that time, could be more now. It use to be free. The waiting room was full, and they weren't only there for vaccinations and condoms.
When Medicaid dollars are meted out, infants should come in last. We have a responsibility to adults who have proved their usefulness in some manner. It's similar to not using Medicaid funds for an alcoholic needing a liver transplant, but giving them to an underemployed mom or dad for their basic health care.

Similarly, every hospital involved in transplants has an ethics committee--this insures the super rich can't buy a new liver for their alcoholic son or a new heart for their 95 year-old father. Organs are then given to those who have the best prospects of not only survival, but of contributing to society. These are neither death panels nor controlled by the government.
Palin referred to the fictional "Obama death panel" in reference to the then-impending health care legislation. The decision on Baby Seth does not arise from anything in the new "Obamacare" legislation. The insuror's decision not to pay for the operation on Baby Seth would have been made regardless fo the outcome of the "Obamacare" legislation.

Thus JuanHunt is correct and therefore anyone trying to use a silly anachronistic argument to associate Baby Seth's plight with Obamacare is just spouting nonsense.
As a medical professional, I want to address some misinformation here in the post.
DiGeorge Syndrome is caused by a genetic defect of chromosome 22 (I believe). It causes a malformation of the neck and upper thorax in development which is manifested as a non-functioning or absent thymus gland, the gland which in childhood is responsible for the development of T-cells.
The reason that your proposed treatment is considered experimental is because the actual success rate with it at Duke University, where it has been done successfully, is only 25%, not the stated 98%.
Secondly, the children also have other malformations of the heart and great vessels, most of the time which will cause their lives to be shortened. It is a sad disease, and for the most part if we can figure out the genetic issues, it may can be cured in the next decade or so.
Insurance companies have ntoriously never supported "experiemtnal" procedures, because they are expensive and they often lead to complications which require additioanl treatments.
Government monies already go to research, as do the donations people give to the causes, therefore an experimental procedure should in reality be supported in that fashion. I don't write the rules, but I do wirk within them.
This child has a long road and future does not look good for him. I hope they are succesful.
Further articles including statements from the Duke doc that performs the transplant claim a 73% success rate, but I really have no idea how such numbers are calculated.

The better news is the interweb has spread baby Seths story and donations have topped $100,000. Inspired by the dismissive attitude of most on this forum, I have donated twice.
quote:
Inspired by the dismissive attitude of most on this forum, I have donated twice.


Good for you. I am not 'dismissive', just realistic. I have fought BCBS for over 30 years to cover 'medically necessary' items. If any insurance board deems something experimental or investigative, your claims are dead in the water.

Hopefully, the story will reach some of those evil 'rich' people and the funds will appear.
More info:

quote:
Marcus Barlow, a spokesman with the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration, said Wednesday he is aware of the law cited by Flint, but the FSSA is following a more recent law that "allows a state to place appropriate limits on services." He said Indiana has done this with experimental procedures in its administrative code. He said the procedure would not be covered by the state's insurance plan and the procedure has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.

Barlow also said that Duke University Medical Center, where the procedure must be performed, also considers the procedure experimental, citing a news release from the facility.

Dr. M. Louise Markert, the only doctor in the country who performs the thymus transplant, said Wednesday the procedure is considered experimental, but because there is so much data on the procedure, other states have approved Medicaid coverage after the initial decision has been appealed.

According to her physician biography at dukehealth.org, 60 transplants have been performed with 43 successes, a 73 percent success rate.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/l...de-5e2a1854a460.html
quote:
Originally posted by teyates:
As a medical professional, I want to address some misinformation here in the post.
DiGeorge Syndrome is caused by a genetic defect of chromosome 22 (I believe). It causes a malformation of the neck and upper thorax in development which is manifested as a non-functioning or absent thymus gland, the gland which in childhood is responsible for the development of T-cells.
The reason that your proposed treatment is considered experimental is because the actual success rate with it at Duke University, where it has been done successfully, is only 25%, not the stated 98%.
Secondly, the children also have other malformations of the heart and great vessels, most of the time which will cause their lives to be shortened. It is a sad disease, and for the most part if we can figure out the genetic issues, it may can be cured in the next decade or so.
Insurance companies have ntoriously never supported "experiemtnal" procedures, because they are expensive and they often lead to complications which require additioanl treatments.
Government monies already go to research, as do the donations people give to the causes, therefore an experimental procedure should in reality be supported in that fashion. I don't write the rules, but I do wirk within them.
This child has a long road and future does not look good for him. I hope they are succesful.


How is a private health insurer denying life-saving treatment for this baby different from y'all's prediction of "Obamacare" denying lifesaving treatment to, say, an 85-year-old grandpa, whose other ailments are already accelerating his trip to heaven?

How can you guys say the defintion of "death panels" is allowing grandpa to die naturally, without extraordinary intervention that would prolong his life by a few months, but a private health insurance company denying this baby a chance at life is NOT a death panel?

Taking into consideration grandpa's other maladies, he only has a 25% chance of surviving long-term with whatever procedure; baby Seth only has a 25% chance to live if he's granted the procedure he needs. So what's the friggin' difference? How do you not see the parallel with these scenarios?
Seth Petreikis will receive the thymus transplant that may save his life. His mother, Becky Petreikis, said she received a call shortly after 2:30 p.m. Friday from MDwise, Petreikis' Medicaid provider. Becky Petreikis said MDWise will partner with Hoosier Alliance to cover the surgery. Duke University Medical Center will also partner, Petreikis said. "It's an amazing miracle," said Becky Petreikis, thanking everyone who emailed and donated.
quote:
Originally posted by JuanHunt:
Seth Petreikis will receive the thymus transplant that may save his life. His mother, Becky Petreikis, said she received a call shortly after 2:30 p.m. Friday from MDwise, Petreikis' Medicaid provider. Becky Petreikis said MDWise will partner with Hoosier Alliance to cover the surgery. Duke University Medical Center will also partner, Petreikis said. "It's an amazing miracle," said Becky Petreikis, thanking everyone who emailed and donated.


That's great news!!! I'm glad to hear that baby Seth won't be sent marching to the insurance company's death camp. (I'm sure his parents would have had to carry him anyway...what a relief to them!)

Interessting statement from Sarah Palin's facebook wall about death panels:

quote:
The Democrats promise that a government health care system will reduce the cost of health care, but as the economist Thomas Sowell has pointed out, government health care will not reduce the cost; it will simply refuse to pay the cost. And who will suffer the most when they ration care? The sick, the elderly, and the disabled, of course. The America I know and love is not one in which my parents or my baby with Down Syndrome will have to stand in front of Obama’s “death panel” so his bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their “level of productivity in society,” whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil.

Health care by definition involves life and death decisions. Human rights and human dignity must be at the center of any health care discussion.

Rep. Michele Bachmann highlighted the Orwellian thinking of the president’s health care advisor, Dr. Ezekiel Emanuel, the brother of the White House chief of staff, in a floor speech to the House of Representatives. I commend her for being a voice for the most precious members of our society, our children and our seniors.


Hmmmm...so if the money had not been raised - or the publicity hadn't forced the insurance company to give in - baby Seth would have just suffered the consequences from the insurance company's use of rationed care? Let me get this straight: Palin's Downs Syndrome baby shouldn't have to stand in front of the "death panel" but baby Seth should?

That can't be right, because Palin stated:

"Obama's bureaucrats can decide, based on a subjective judgment of their level of productivity in society, whether they are worthy of health care. Such a system is downright evil."

So it's only evil if any bureaucracy other than the insurance industry is putting the baby in front of the death panel - is that how it works with the Republicans?
quote:
Originally posted by b50m:
Again,
Medicaid is not private insurance.

Baby Seth and Trig would both be put in front of a government panel to decide if the costs of treatment are 'worth' the purposed usefulness of the individual.

Just go look up the UK plan. That's what ours will be patterned after.


I originally thought baby Seth's parents had private insurance but, still, private health insurance companies deny payment for procedures like baby Seth's all the time.

So I'm comparing the practices of private health insurance companies to (what's predicted by the Republicans of) Obamacare and asking, "What's the difference?" We've been dealing with rationed care by private health insurers for years.

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