Dr. Swope’s Story

In palliative care, I support a 44-year-old mother with stage 4 colon cancer, aiming to enhance her time with her children amidst her illness. Despite managing her pain to uphold this, prior authorization hurdles for pain meds consistently stall care, leaving her bedridden on severe pain days. Each delay chips away at her morale, fueling distrust in a healthcare system burdened by unnecessary bureaucracy. Insurance-imposed paperwork exacerbates her suffering, a distressing reality in the face of terminal illness.