The Artvoice reported today that Blue Shield California twice refused to pay $2,700 emergency room claims by Rosalinda Miran-Ramirez, concluding that it was not a “reasonable” decision for her to go to the emergency room that morning when she awoke to a shirt saturated from blood with what turned out to be a breast tumor. Only after KPIX-TV reported the story did the insurance company pay the claim. Further, it reported that the National Women’s Law Center found that the laws of eight states permit insurance companies to deny health coverage to a battered spouse (as a “pre-existing condition”) since batterers tend to be recidivists.

Two Buffalo Firefighters Perish in the Line of Duty
Two Buffalo firefighters died today fighting an early morning blaze on Genessee Street near Wende Street in Buffalo, New York. We have had many firefighter friends and clients over the years and every one is a dedicated professional willing to put his or her life on the line