The 25-year-old graduate student from Florida attracted attention after sharing a trip back to Tennessee to get medical care due to insurance coverage restrictions.
Anna Constenttopoulos shared her journey In the video Tiktok has made 1.2 million views as it flew over 700 miles for an MRI scan. She was still covered by her parents' insurance plans using Tennessee's Bluecross BlueShield, so even during her first emergency visit, she was unable to receive coverage from Florida medical services.
“I injured my ankle four weeks ago, but I have been on my parents' insurance (I live in Tennessee) so I had to travel to Tennessee to get an MRI. Newsweek.
Konstantopoulos has Ehlers-Danlos syndrome (EDS), a chronic condition that affects connective tissue and makes injuries more frequent and severe.
@unseenandbelieveved/tiktok
“I actually injured my ankle just because I was wrong,” she said. “In the beginning, one of the doctors I saw was very skeptical that I had actually broken my bones and had denied an MRI. It was “probably just tendinitis” until I refused to leave without referral. If I didn't need my parents, I wouldn't need medical care. ”
After receiving the MRI in the end, the results confirmed that her ankle had a broken ankle. For four weeks she was walking, going to school, working without proper care.
Dalya Qualls White, Senior Vice President and Chief Communications Officer at Bluecross BlueShield in Tennessee, says Newsweek: “Tennessee's Bluecross BlueShield offers a variety of plans to meet the needs of its members. Like other health insurance companies that sell in the state, there are plans that are limited to a network of Tennessee providers only (except emergency care that is always covered as a network).
“We provide network details during the sales and registration process so that members can make informed decisions to meet their needs. Service personnel are always available to help members find in-network providers when they need to schedule care.”
Konstantopoulos' story resonates with many Tiktok users, and shares similar complaints in the comments.
One user said, “Girl, I feel this. I have Louisiana insurance, but I'm currently in Texas, so I'll have to go back to Louisiana to see my doctor.”
Another commented, “American healthcare will never confuse or surprise me.”
Konstantopoulos was pleased that her video sparked a conversation about access to health care and her experience with chronic illness.
“I shared this story and documented what it's like to live with a chronic illness and how difficult it is to get proper health care,” she said.
