Hilary Swank is suing SAG-AFTRA’s Health Plan over their "antiquated, barbaric" policies after being denied coverage for the treatment of ovarian cysts.
The Oscar-winning actress filed a lawsuit on Tuesday (08.09.20) against the health plan’s board of trustees, after claiming they had "stopped allowing Swank’s claims for treatment of ovarian cysts" in 2015, seven years after she was diagnosed with the condition when her "left ovary was destroyed and removed during emergency surgery."
The ‘Away’ star explained she was denied treatment at a time she "was undergoing procedures to preserve her ability to conceive in the future."
Her legal documents added: "Seizing upon Swank’s choice to keep her options open, the Trustees pointed to an exclusion in the Plan for ‘infertility treatment,’ relying on the notion that the only purpose of preserving the health of an ovary is to procreate.
"This matter addresses the shockingly antiquated question of whether the sole purpose of a woman, specifically her ovaries, is to procreate.
"When faced with a claim for insurance benefits for medically necessary treatment of ovarian cysts and endometriosis, the Trustees answered ‘yes,’ determining that there could be no possible reason to treat those conditions other than for the purpose of trying to conceive."
The lawsuit insisted Hilary – who married Philip Schneider in 2018 – and her medical team insisted she "was not seeking coverage for fertility treatment, but only for treatment for her ovarian cysts" but "the Trustees dug in their heels."
The documents added: "The Trustees repeatedly said that there was no medically necessary reason to treat or monitor ovarian cysts other than for ‘infertility treatment.’"
Hilary hit out at the organisation and other health insurance companies for their treatment of women’s medical issues.
She told People in a statement: "[I am] truly exhausted by the way women’s ovarian and cyclical health issues continue to be treated by healthcare insurance companies.
"I have experienced it in my own life, and I continually read about it across social media and in the press.
"Their policies are antiquated, barbaric and primarily view the role of women’s organs solely as a means for procreation."
And the 46-year-old star hopes her legal action will spark widespread change.
She continued: "My hope is to create change for all woman suffering from women’s health issues that have to battle with insurance companies who diminish the significance of their problems, don’t believe the patient (or their doctor’s) explanations surrounding their suffering, and severely preclude coverage to only incredibly limited services and procedures.
"It’s painful enough having to deal with the nature of a female health issue, let alone having to wrestle with the stress of trying to get your insurance company to provide the coverage and care that their contract explicitly states they offer."