Evansville Family Faces Insurance Struggles After Rare Illness

In November 2024, Jesse Cano awoke to a harsh reality: he was paralyzed and had been diagnosed with Guillain-Barre Syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder.

His case manager from Conassociated Health, the insurance company, had been approving Jesse’s physical therapy sessions, even after he hit the limit of 60 sessions that had been pre-approved.

“The need for treatment was the only thing that could really help with Guillain-Barre,” Jesse explained. “There’s no cure, no alternative doctors. It all boils down to treatment.”

However, a few months later, the Canos discovered that while insurance approval allowed Jesse to continue with therapy, it didn’t guarantee that the sessions would be financially covered.

The insurance company eventually acknowledged their error, and by November 2025, the Canos were informed they owed over $10,000 for each therapy session Jesse had received since April of that year.

“Then a few months later, they suggested, ‘Perhaps someone misspoke.’ But it wasn’t just a slip-up; they had approved more sessions than the policy allowed,” Jesse said.

After a lengthy battle, Ascension ultimately decided to write off all of Jesse’s physical therapy bills.

“The insurance company wasn’t willing to assist us due to their own mistake, so Ascension really came through and covered the difference,” Jesse noted.

“It was incredible. A huge relief for us,” said Kennedy Cano, Jesse’s wife.

Still, their fight isn’t over.

In 2024, insurance has declared it will not cover Jesse’s air transportation bill of over $18,000.

“They deemed the airlift to IU was not medically necessary since it went ‘without incident,'” Kennedy remarked. “It’s unfortunate because while I’m grateful for our peace, being paralyzed means there’s no real guarantee of that.”

The Canos have one last appeal pending against this bill.

For now, Jesse is making strides, having recently gotten out of his wheelchair and focusing on daily improvements.

“I think I cooked standing up for the first time the other day,” Jesse shared. “I’m just trying to get back to a more normal life.”

“My one-year-old son thinks it’s hilarious when he sees him walking, always calling out, ‘Big Dada!’ It always makes me laugh,” Kennedy added.

As Jesse continues to regain strength, the Cano family plans to donate his wheelchair to a friend who needs it.