Colorado woman was denied medical coverage because her name is too long — now bills are piling up. How to fight a denial

Mike Crisolago

Wed, August 5, 2026 at 6:05 PM GMT+3 6 min read

CBS Colorado

Four words and 28 letters — that's all it took to land one Colorado woman in a fight over denied medical insurance coverage and outstanding bills.

Unfortunately, those four words happened to be her name.

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Carrie Ann Weinberger Morneault never experienced a problem with her medical coverage, according to CBS News, until she changed her Medicare Advantage insurer to HealthSpring (formerly Cigna) last year.

At that point, she said her medical claims began getting denied. Weinberger Morneault explained that after multiple calls, she learned that Medicare has a character limit for names. And between her insurance, Social Security and medical bills, her name ends up abbreviated or spelled in different ways — which makes it seem as though the claims are for different people.

That led to rejected claims for things like physical therapy and mammograms, as well as mounting unpaid medical bills that CBS noted had been sent to collections.

"This whole process really wears on your mental health and well being," Weinberger Morneault, told Moneywise. "It is such BS, and I am unable to wrap my head around it."

Millions of Americans face denied claims and mounting medical bills

Medicare's site doesn't mention character limits for names — or any problems that can arise if you go over the limit — and a representative didn't return Moneywise's request for comment.

Healthspring, meanwhile, told Moneywise that they are "committed to expanding access to quality, cost effective care" and "working directly with our members to help resolve their concerns" but do not "discuss the specifics of member inquiries."

Weinberger Morneault, for her part, said that one of her outstanding claims has since been settled, though she's not clear how and says no one contacted her about it.

She added that her outstanding balance now sits at nearly $600, for mammogram screening and some physical therapy.

And though Weinberger Morneault's story is unique for the reasons related to her name, millions of Americans across the country know the sting of having a medical claim turned away.

A July 2026 Commonwealth Fund survey found that, in the last year, 21% of working-age adults with private insurance had a doctor-recommended treatment denied, or had a family member with the same.

The survey found that 70% of those people incurred extra expenses as a result, while 43% said they're still paying off the medical debt. The majority of denied payments were over $1,000, while many of those surveyed said the debt "made them hesitant to get healthcare again."

Weinberger Morneault told Moneywise the same, saying she put off doctor's appointments because "rather than potentially deal with this again, I've gone into avoidance mode."

While no national statistics currently exist for how much medical debt Americans have incurred specifically from denied claims, a ProPublica investigation found that, broadly speaking, "insurers deny between 10% and 20% of the claims they receive."

Meanwhile, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau reported that the amount of unpaid U.S. medical debt in collections totals $88 billion and impacts a fifth of Americans. They also warned that debts over $500 can appear in your credit reports if it's not paid within a year.

And while claim denials can occur for something as simple as a clerical error, research shows that more than two-thirds of Americans are unaware of their right to appeal claim denials.

That's unfortunate, given appeals can potentially save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in medical costs — if you know how to go about the process correctly.

How to fight back against a denied claim

A first step in the appeal process is going over your claim denial and your policy to see if you can understand why the insurance company won't pay.

If, after that, you believe you have an appeals case, experts suggest collecting all of your documentation related to the claim and adding it to a formal appeal that includes your personal info and policy number, claim details, reasons you were given for the denial, and why the medical treatment is necessary. They also suggest you remain persistent in following up.

Others note that a letter from your medical provider could help your appeal case and that you can also ask your insurer to not send the bill to collections until the appeal process is done.

It's important, too, to be aware of deadlines for appeals, as missing a window of days or months to file could nullify your case before you even get to argue it.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services notes that if your first appeal is denied, some cases allow for multiple follow-ups. As well, you can opt for an external appeal by a third party to review your claim, or consider a regulatory complaint to your state's Department of Insurance — which could lead to a closer investigation of the insurer themselves.

Patient advocate groups also help those whose claims are denied navigate the appeals process and sometimes complicated insurance landscape.

Appeals, of course, aren't always successful. The Commonwealth Fund survey found that only about a third of those who reported appealing a rejected claim got the decision reversed or the amount owed eliminated.

Weinberger Morneault noted her frustration with the appeal process she's endured, but did offer some firsthand advice for those looking to challenge a claim denial.

"Keep notes, document everything, and put on your boxing gloves," she said. "Persistence may be your friend."

Colorado woman was denied medical coverage because her name is too long — now bills are piling up. How to fight a denial

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