BOUNTIFUL, Utah (KUTV) — After weeks of fighting their health insurance’s denial of coverage, the Bateman family from Utah has not only secured a prosthetic arm for their 9-year-old daughter Remi, but has also helped another child receive the same life-changing device.
Remi’s mother, Jami Bateman, shared that after their insurance provider Select Health deemed the prosthetic “not medically necessary,” the family launched a GoFundMe campaign. The response was overwhelming, with the fundraiser quickly exceeding its goal.
“The GoFundMe got reposted. We exceeded well over the goal,” Jami said. “I was contacted by the CEO of CrowdHealth. They decided to pick up the bill and paid for Remi’s arm in full. It’s just been amazing.”
Because the CEO offered to pay for Remi’s arm, the Batemans used the funds raised to pay for a boy in Maryland’s prosthetic arm.
The viral story didn’t just help Remi — her family’s campaign also caught the attention of another family with an 8-year-old boy named Taj from Maryland, who will now receive the same “Hero Arm” prosthetic.
“I wasn’t able to do this for Taj for Christmas,” Taj’s mother said, “but thought ‘maybe next summer, we’ll be able to get [the arm]’.”
Jami Bateman hopes their story brings joy to both families.
“I hope this will be a super awesome Christmas present for him,” she said. “We got one for her, finally, and we’re very excited for him.”
Despite the good news, the Batemans remain frustrated with their initial insurance experience. Jami emphasized that their doctors had provided all necessary documentation to prove the arm’s medical necessity.
“I want to hear a response from them,” she said. “And I want them to understand that this is absolutely life-changing for these kids.”
The family plans to keep their GoFundMe campaign active, with hopes of helping yet another child receive the same prosthetic arm.
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