HUNDREDS GATHER AT VIGIL FOR NORTHRIDGE TEEN

Los Angeles Daily News, CA
Dec 24 2007

ENCINO – Nearly 200 people gathered inside an Encino school
auditorium tonight, for a memorial service and candle light vigil for
a 17-year-old girl who died hours after her health insurer reversed
its previous decision and said it would pay for a liver transplant.

Family members and friends remembered Nataline Sarkisyan at the Holy
Martyrs Armenian Elementary and Ferrahian High School, just days
after the Northridge girl died.

Attorney Mark Geragos, who attended the vigil, has said he would
pursue a civil case against CIGNA Healthcare, for her death.

He also plans to ask the district attorney to press murder or
manslaughter charges against against the insurance company.

The District Attorney’s office has yet to comment.

Nataline died Thursday at about 6 p.m. at the University of California,
Los Angeles, Medical Center. She had been in a vegetative state for
weeks before she was taken off life support at 5:20 p.m. with the
family’s approval.

She had been battling leukemia and received a bone marrow transplant
from her brother. She developed a complication, however, that caused
her liver to fail.

Doctors at UCLA determined she needed a transplant and sent a
letter to CIGNA on Dec. 11. The Philadelphia-based health insurance
company denied payment for the transplant, saying the procedure was
experimental and outside the scope of coverage.

About 150 teenagers and nurses had protested outside CIGNA’s office in
Glendale on Thursday. As the protesters rallied, the company reversed
its decision and said it would approve the transplant.

A statement was released by CIGNA on Friday.

"Their loss is immeasurable, and our thoughts and prayers are with
them," the statement said. "We deeply hope that the outpouring of
concern, care and love that are being expressed for Nataline’s family
help them at this time."