Veteran Firefighter Denied Insurance Coverage for Stage 4 Lung Cancer Treatment: ‘I Am Forced to Stand Here and Beg’
Yahoo News UK • • health
Key Points:
- Ken Jones, a retired San Francisco firefighter diagnosed with stage 4 lung cancer in March 2025, believes his illness is linked to 17 years of exposure to carcinogens on the job.
- His insurance provider, Blue Shield of California, denied coverage for the necessary chemotherapy and immunotherapy treatment, as well as an appeal filed by his doctors.
- Jones’ family publicly appealed to the San Francisco Health Service Board to intervene, highlighting the financial and health risks posed by the denial, with treatment costs estimated at $50,000 out of pocket.
- Fire Department Chief Jeanine Nicholson and Jones’ family emphasized the broader issue of firefighters being denied coverage for work-related illnesses, calling for systemic change.
- A GoFundMe
