Family to fight insurance company after daughter denied transplant dies  

By Rick Orlov, Staff Writer



The day after the death of his leukemia-stricken daughter, Krikor Sarkisyan accused his health insurer of taking her life by twice denying her a liver transplant.

At a news conference Friday morning, Sarkisyan wept as he talked about his 17-year-old daughter, Nataline, and his hiring of attorney Mark Geragos in hopes of getting authorities to bring criminal charges against Cigna Healthcare.

"They took my daughter away from me," the Northridge man said. "She was so strong and brave. I wish she was here today."

Nataline's brother, Bedig, donated bone marrow to his sister a month ago and said her death should touch every family.

"This could be your sister," he said. "It could be you."

Suffering from recurrent leukemia since she was 14, Nataline died Thursday night, less than 20 minutes after being taken off life-support systems.

The death of the teen came just hours after Cigna Healthcare - which had twice removed her from liver-transplant lists, saying the surgery was experimental - sent a notice that it had reversed its decision and would allow a transplant.

In a statement Thursday, the company said it was making a rare exception in reversing its decision.

"Based on the unique circumstances of this situation, and although it is outside the scope of the plan's coverage and despite the lack of medical evidence regarding the effectiveness of such treatment, Cigna HealthCare has decided to make an exception in
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this rare and unusual case and we will provide coverage should she proceed with the requested liver transplant," the statement said.

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