Second opinion scores benefits
Volunteers help man get health coverage after a serious fall
Ken Danna loves playing guitar. When he as a schoolteacher living in Taiwan, the Kingman resident showcased his talents playing on the streets.
Danna calls them good old times. Known to his fans as the Human Jukebox because he could crank out classic rock and pop hits on demand, he used to strut and dance along the streets of Tapai City. But the good times came to an end abruptly in January 2012, when Danna fell off a balcony.
“Pretty much anyone who falls four floors dies. I fell six,” Danna said.
Danna said he has no recollection of the fall or the 10 days he spent at a hospital. All he remembers is that he was sober and he was posting comments online before the fall.
That fall left him with a broken pelvis, a crushed L2 vertebra, a paralyzed right leg and a broken back.
Unable to work in Tapai, Danna returned to the United States when his visa expired. CALL 12 FOR ACTION
‘‘ It was very upsetting because I felt I was being discriminated against a bit. It was pretty evident I was handicapped.”
Call 12 for Action client That’s when his battle for health-care coverage began.
He applied for federal supplemental security income or AHCCCS coverage — the state’s Medicaid program — but was denied. His injuries weren’t considered severe enough.
“It was very upsetting because I felt I was being discriminated against a bit. It was pretty evident I was handicapped.” Danna said.
A doctor who saw Danna to review his eligibility for cov- erage determined his condition would last only 12 months, he said. But the aftereffects of the fall already had lasted 14 months and showed no signs of easing up.
That’s when he decided to turn to Call 12 for Action. With our help, he eventually got a second opinion that determined his injuries would be long-lasting, which allowed him to get coverage through AHCCCS.
Now that he is insured, Danna is able to see doctors and get medication for his condition.
Monica Coury, a spokeswoman for AHCCCS, said the agency typically does not comment on individual cases.
With the aid of crutches, Danna can move around independently.
And although it took months before he was able to pick up his guitar, he said music is helping with recovery.
Playing the guitar is difficult for him, but he manages to do it, despite his limits.
“My fingers are still numb a little bit, but I can pretty much do all right,” Danna said. Doctors said he should eventually regain feeling in his fingers.
Despite that fall in Taiwan, Danna said he would like to return to Taiwan and resume his music-playing days. For now, he gets emotional and financial support from people on his Facebook page, named “Ken Lee Danna Support Group.”