Lisa McLoughlin
Warning: Article contains graphic footage of vomiting
A woman in the US threw up repeatedly outside a health insurance office after they allegedly denied cover for a procedure to alleviate her chronic vomiting condition.
Comedian Sandy Honig recorded herself spewing her guts outside an Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield office to appeal the decision, before uploading it to YouTube.
The Three Busy Debras writer and star explained in the now-viral video that she needed treatment for gastroparesis, a condition that keeps the stomach from emptying properly.
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Watch the clip below:
The condition causes her to vomit ‘almost everything’ she eats and while it isn’t curable, there are several treatments that can alleviate her symptoms, one of which is a Botox injection to the pyloric sphincter, the muscle that connects the stomach to the small intestine.
Although it would improve her quality of life greatly, Honig claimed that Anthem denied coverage of the crucial treatment.
In response, she showed up to the company’s Los Angeles headquarters in Woodland Hills where she began projectile vomiting after being turned away while trying to deliver a letter.
Honig subsequently spoke to two people outside of the office before painting the pavement a shade of red and yellow.
The TV star said: "Nobody would take my letter, but they said I could mail it with any relevant documentation," as she threw up into the envelope.
According to Honig, Anthem called the LAPD to do a wellness check on her, saying in the three-minute long video: "It was such a lovely surprise to get a visit from two men armed with guns and batons in my own home.
"It's nice to know that even though you won't give me the healthcare I need, you still care."
According to a brief glimpse of the 19 January police report she shared in the video, it featured the words 'poss 5150', a police term used in the US to describe placing someone in an involuntary psychiatric hold, and 'conducted a wellness check'.
It also appeared to note the phone number for the Los Angeles County Department of Mental Health.
After sharing her post on Twitter, Anthem responded to Honig and requested her to email them so a representative could 'look into this.'
However, she has since shared in a follow-up post that while the company 'feel awful', they explained why they didn't think the procedure was ‘medically necessary’.
She sarcastically quipped: "Nevermind. He called me back and explained to me why they don't consider a botox injection in my stomach medically necessary.
"I guess now is the time for me to admit it IS cosmetic, I just turned 30 and want the inside of my stomach to look younger."
UNILAD has contacted Honig, Anthem and the LAPD for comment.
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