“It’s complex, it isn’t easy, and that’s why we’re here to provide some help,” said Erin Bradshaw, Chief of Mission Delivery for Patient Advocate Foundation.

NORFOLK, Va. – A Norfolk man has claimed a small victory in the fight for his medical coverage.

News 3 Problem Solver Erin Miller shared Ryan Featherer’s story in early July. He’s a beloved orchestra teacher in Norfolk who lives with multiple sclerosis, a chronic disease that affects the central nervous system.

“You feel it as soon as you put your feet on the ground and it doesn’t stop. It just never stops,” said Featherer.

The father of two said he has tried everything to numb the pain, including a week-long clinical trial where a spinal cord stimulator was implanted in his body. He said it was the only thing that gave him relief since he was diagnosed in 2002.

Despite this, and 1,200 pages of other attempted treatments, his insurance company said the procedure was not medically necessary.

He followed the appeals process until he exhausted all options. During this time, he learned about the Patient Advocate Foundation, a nonprofit that helps people with serious health conditions.

Source: Local teacher set for life-changing surgery helps others overcome insurance woes