The household of a lady who suffered a extreme mind damage whereas on vacation say they had been confronted with having to just accept her return to the UK in opposition to medical recommendation or her journey insurance coverage coverage could be cancelled.
Jane Rubens, 73, from Edinburgh, was concerned in a automobile accident in the US earlier this month and stays in a coma.
Her insurance coverage firm, AXA Companions, initially informed the household Mrs Rubens would should be repatriated on Monday regardless of a number of medics advising in opposition to the transfer, her household informed the BBC.
Following a social media outcry, the insurers backed down, saying: “The welfare of Ms Rubens and her household stays our precedence.”
“We had been already having the worst time,” her daughter Cat, 34, who’s a lawyer, informed the BBC. “Mum might not survive this, we simply don’t know. After which to must take care of all this.”
Mrs Rubens was on vacation visiting household in Missouri when she was hit by an SUV in St Louis on 1 November. She sustained extreme mind accidents and a number of haemorrhages.
Since then she has been a affected person at St Louis College Hospital, the place she has undergone 5 completely different operations together with a cranioplasty the place a part of her cranium was eliminated. The newest surgical procedure was on Thursday.
Previous to travelling, her household say Mrs Rubens took out a journey insurance coverage coverage with AXA Companions, which coated medical bills for as much as £15m ($19m).
On Friday the insurance coverage firm contacted her two youngsters Cat and Andrew, who’re by her bedside, to say they meant to require her repatriation to the Royal Infirmary in Edinburgh this week.
On Saturday, the household despatched a letter to AXA Companions outlining the medical recommendation they’d obtained, not simply from her docs in Missouri but additionally from NHS specialists to whom they’d spoken, in addition to the mind accidents charity Headway. All agreed that from a neurological stand-point, she wanted a number of extra weeks in the US.
On Sunday, the household say, they woke as much as an electronic mail from the insurers saying that “primarily based on all of the medical info which has been supplied, it has been confirmed that your mom, Jane Rubens, is Match to Fly by way of an Air Ambulance, with acceptable medical escorts with fast impact. We’ve availability to proceed with the repatriation on 25/11/2024. If you don’t settle for our selections and don’t need to be repatriated, then we is not going to present any cowl.”
When Cat Rubens made a name to the insurers later that day she says she was informed:
- The coverage could be revoked on Monday if repatriation was not accepted on Sunday
- They may not see the repatriation plan, which additionally had not been shared with the medical staff in Missouri
- They weren’t allowed to talk to the insurer’s medical staff, underwriter or perhaps a name centre supervisor
- They weren’t allowed a further 48 hours to decide.
- Apart from elevating a criticism, there was no manner for them to problem the choice.
“Getting from St Louis to Edinburgh is a good distance,” stated Cat. “However they couldn’t present any particulars – what number of stops would there be, what degree of sedation would she obtain. Nothing.”
Following the decision, one of many docs in St Louis caring for Mrs Rubens additionally known as AXA Companions. He acquired no additional and was not even given the title of a clinician in Edinburgh he may discuss to about his affected person.
On Sunday night, the household reluctantly wrote to the insurance coverage firm to say “Within the circumstances you have got given us no alternative however to conform to your repatriation plan. This has positioned us in an not possible place. You’ve got requested us to conform to a repatriation plan in respect of which we now have no correct particulars, not even the title of her receiving doctor within the UK.”
Cat Rubens then took to X to focus on their predicament. “We had been backed right into a nook, I didn’t need to do it, however I felt I had no possibility however to put up on X.”
Following the social media put up, Ms Rubens stated, AXA Companions known as to apologise to the household saying they’d not do something with out the consent of the household and of each the treating and receiving hospital.
“We all know that repatriation has to occur – it’s what we wish for mum,” stated Cat.
“Nevertheless it must be primarily based on the neurological opinion not simply on whether or not she’s match to fly from an aviation perspective. We weren’t being unreasonable – they simply weren’t listening.”
In a press release, AXA Companions stated they had been “sorry for the misery Ms Rubens and her household have skilled when making a declare and we sympathise with their scenario. We’ve spoken with Ms Rubens’ household and can stay involved with them over the approaching days to assist them.
“Our medical staff and Ms Rubens’ treating docs will agree the perfect plan of action going ahead. We’re contemplating all accessible choices and the welfare of Ms Rubens and her household stays our precedence.”
