Dec 29, 2025
Next to a framed picture of her son, Mary Cutter picks up a stuffed bear. Then, she pushes its paw.Her smile is so big it's difficult to describe.Can you hear it?The stuffed animal is making a sound. Its the sound of her sons he artbeat. He died in 2012.WATCH: A transplant recipient meets her donors mom for the first time She got a new heart. Then, her insurance declined to cover transplant medicationAt Gate of Heaven Cemetery, the sun is setting. Cutter's son is buried there.Payton Herres hasnt been in a while, but she knows exactly where to go. At the marker, Herres takes a picture.And then she sends it to Cutter.I always wonder if hes proud of me. I hope Mary is proud of me, Herres said. I dont want to let them down.Herres was born with a rare congenital heart defect that required two surgeries before she turned 11. Neither worked.The doctors basically told my parents you need to start planning a funeral, Herres said. I was in really bad shape. But when Cutter's son, Christian, died, his heart gave Herres a new shot at life.All these years later, Herres and Cutter are about to meet for the first time. Sitting at her dining room table, Cutter wipes her eyes.Ive been crying all day, Cutter said.Because to keep her heart beating, Herres tells me she needs a medication called everolimus it helps stop her body from rejecting the transplant. And earlier this year, her insurance company refused to cover it.They said it wasnt medically necessary. But Herres tells me she would die without it.I almost ran out of pills, Herres said.Eventually, after months of denials and appeals, Herres insurance agreed to cover the medication. A spokeswoman for Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield said the company didn't consider Herres' previous treatment in its initial decision.We apologize for the frustration this caused her, the spokeswoman said.But even with the medication approved, Herres tells me the price increased dramatically. Something that almost puts her right back where she was when she was fighting with insurance in the first place.Something that brings back all kinds of memories for Cutter."Its like losing him again," Cutter said of her son. Its just not right." At her dining room table, Cutter looks through old photos of her son playing football, hugging his dog, standing with her at the pool.Outside, its dark now. Herres almost slips while walking up the driveway. Shes carrying a binder full of documents showing those battles with insurance.Cutter waves.Give me a hug, Cutter said. Youre special to me."It's why she offered to pay for the medication, even when insurance wouldn't.I just want her to be OK, Cutter said. For him, and for her.To view Herres' petition, click on this link. ...read more read less
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