In a remarkable turn of events, a family in Evansville has found relief from overwhelming medical expenses following an insurance company's miscommunication.
In November 2024, Jesse Cano received a diagnosis of Guillain-Barre syndrome, a rare autoimmune disorder, after waking up unable to move. The situation was dire, and the family's need for medical support became critical. Jesse’s case manager, assigned by his insurance provider Consociate Health, consistently approved physical therapy sessions that Jesse desperately required, even after he reached the maximum limit of 60 sessions that had been pre-approved.
"The need for therapy was really the only thing that could assist with Guillain-Barre," Jesse explained. "There aren’t any other treatments or doctor visits; your primary focus is on therapy."
However, several months into this process, the Cano family discovered that the authorization from their insurance did not guarantee coverage for these sessions. In fact, they were informed in November 2025 that they would be responsible for over $10,000 for each physical therapy session Jesse had attended since April of that year due to the insurance company's error.
As Jesse put it, "A few months later, they told us, ‘Unfortunately, maybe someone misspoke.’ But there was no maybe about it; someone did make a mistake, and they had authorized more than what was covered under our policy."
After enduring a lengthy struggle, it was a relief when Ascension, the healthcare provider, decided to waive the entire bill for Jesse's physical therapy. "The insurance company wasn't willing to assist us in rectifying their error, so Ascension stepped in to cover the remaining costs," Jesse noted.
Kennedy Cano, Jesse's wife, expressed her gratitude, saying, "That was amazing; it was such a huge relief for us."
Yet, their challenges didn’t end there. The insurance still refused to pay for an air transport bill exceeding $18,000 that arose from Jesse’s condition in 2024.
Kennedy shared, "They concluded that because the air transport to IU was deemed 'uneventful'—that was the term they used—it was not considered medically necessary. It’s unfortunate since we are thankful it went smoothly, but there’s no assurance that being paralyzed means everything will go without complications."
Currently, the Canos have one final appeal pending regarding that bill. Meanwhile, Jesse is making progress; he's now out of his wheelchair and focusing on recovery each day.
"I think I actually cooked while standing for the first time the other day," Jesse said. "It feels good to return to some semblance of a normal, upright life again."
Kennedy added a light-hearted note, sharing how their one-year-old son finds it amusing that Jesse is walking again, often exclaiming, "Big DaDa!"
Looking ahead, once Jesse gains more strength, the family plans to donate his wheelchair to a friend in need.
