Michael Moore Saves Couple's Home With Sicko
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June 21st, 2007 9:21 pm
Local couple says Michael Moore saved family

Couple says home was nearly lost

By Taryn Asher / ABC12

FLINT, MI -- A Flint couple is thanking a Hollywood filmmaker for helping in their battle against a $65,000 health insurance bill.

The Redfields almost lost their home until Michael Moore made a plea. And they took a chance.

Clayton and Susan Redfield are proud of their home. They bought it and moved to Flint shortly after he had heart surgery in Florida.

"Everything was paid -- co-pays and everything is fine," Clayton Redfield said.

But apparently, it wasn't.

Aetna, the Redfield's health insurance company, claimed a tumor doctors didn't find until they opened Clayton's heart was a pre-existing condition, and that they owed $66,000 in medical bills.

"I think I said the 'f word' really loud," Clayton said.

The Redfields were shocked and couldn't afford to pay it and claim they couldn't get a hold of Aetna to fight it.

"Tens and tens of phone calls," Clayton said. "They were always going to call us back or send us forms or a supervisor, call us back. They never called one single time."

But that would soon change. One day Clayton saw Michael Moore post a plea on YouTube as he was promoting his new movie "Sicko."

So Clayton attached his story to Moore's site on YouTube.

"You know, I'm just going to test it," Clayton recalled. "I tested it to the site, I get over 1,000 hits within seven days. With no communication over the last seven days with Aetna, we get this letter back."

In part, Aetna claimed the collection agency made a mistake and Clayton would only have to pay a $500 co-pay.

"I said the 'f word' again, but real smiley," he said. "I was jumping around."

Clayton and his wife now stop to smell the roses. They believes Moore's new movie drew attention to their plight and hope others with similar stories on the site will have the same experience.

"I'm thinking, 'Michael Moore, you just saved my home,'" Clayton said. "I'm extremely grateful."