Spring Break
Insurance said 'no,' Air Force saic 'yes'
Christopher Shaver
Issue date: 3/25/09 Section: Campus News
Senior Matthew Johnson will soon have about $60,000 in reconstructive surgery - for free.
Johnson was born with a jaw that was not aligned and that could cause him to lose his teeth. The braces he has worn for the past eight years are the only things that keep his teeth in place so he can eat.
Johnson will go under the scalpel for jaw reconstruction surgery within the next month. The surgery will mark the 13th time the Religious Education major has had surgery on his mouth.
"They're [the surgeons] going to cut part of my top jaw and graft my thigh bone in," Johnson said. "Then they're going to have to take six new teeth and implant them."
The surgery will happen in two parts: The surgeon will let the grafted bone heal, then Johnson can have the porcelain teeth inserted.
The surgery was supposed to take place over spring break, but Johnson's medical insurance company wouldn't approve it.
"Insurance denied my claim saying it wasn't necessary because it didn't deform my face, and it doesn't affect normal chewing, which is true as long as I wear braces," Johnson said. "But I don't want to wear braces for the rest of my life."
However, found a way around the system. He will have both surgeries for free because they will be used as a case study by U.S. Air Force doctors. Johnson said the surgery will allow them to help soldiers who sustained injured jaws on the battlefield.
Johnson went to San Antonio over spring break to talk with the colonel who will perform the surgery. The senior said he was not nervous about having to go under the scalpel again.
"It's kind of neat actually," Johnson said. "They're going to be studying my face and my mouth for years to come. Who knows, I may be in Air Force textbooks."
Johnson said the surgery put a damper on his initial plans to get married over spring break. He said the wedding has been put back at least two more months, but he is grateful for the free surgery.
"It's kind of a blessing in disguise. If insurance had approved, it would have paid for the first surgery but it would have only paid for half on the second, which would have been $40,000."
Johnson was born with a jaw that was not aligned and that could cause him to lose his teeth. The braces he has worn for the past eight years are the only things that keep his teeth in place so he can eat.
Johnson will go under the scalpel for jaw reconstruction surgery within the next month. The surgery will mark the 13th time the Religious Education major has had surgery on his mouth.
"They're [the surgeons] going to cut part of my top jaw and graft my thigh bone in," Johnson said. "Then they're going to have to take six new teeth and implant them."
The surgery will happen in two parts: The surgeon will let the grafted bone heal, then Johnson can have the porcelain teeth inserted.
The surgery was supposed to take place over spring break, but Johnson's medical insurance company wouldn't approve it.
"Insurance denied my claim saying it wasn't necessary because it didn't deform my face, and it doesn't affect normal chewing, which is true as long as I wear braces," Johnson said. "But I don't want to wear braces for the rest of my life."
However, found a way around the system. He will have both surgeries for free because they will be used as a case study by U.S. Air Force doctors. Johnson said the surgery will allow them to help soldiers who sustained injured jaws on the battlefield.
Johnson went to San Antonio over spring break to talk with the colonel who will perform the surgery. The senior said he was not nervous about having to go under the scalpel again.
"It's kind of neat actually," Johnson said. "They're going to be studying my face and my mouth for years to come. Who knows, I may be in Air Force textbooks."
Johnson said the surgery put a damper on his initial plans to get married over spring break. He said the wedding has been put back at least two more months, but he is grateful for the free surgery.
"It's kind of a blessing in disguise. If insurance had approved, it would have paid for the first surgery but it would have only paid for half on the second, which would have been $40,000."
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posted 3/09/10 @ 8:23 PM EST
All that reconstructive surgery for free sounds great for someone who has been through so much. I commend that action.
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posted 3/24/10 @ 5:27 PM EST
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