Insurer Denies Teen’s Prosthesis Claim, Forcing Family to Pay $7,500

A 21-year-old fought to walk at graduation—but her insurer called her prosthesis ‘not necessary.’ Now, her family is drowning in debt for a device she can’t live without.

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2026 January 9 . 10:14 AM

1 min read

In this image I can see the person is wearing black and red color footwear. They are on the brown... — In this image I can see the person is wearing black and red color footwear. They are on the brown color couch.

Insurer Denies Teen’s Prosthesis Claim, Forcing Family to Pay $7,500

Gabrielle Guerrero was just 15 when a vehicle accident left her with a partially amputated left foot. Doctors told her she might never walk without help. Now, at 21, she relies on a custom prosthesis—but her insurer, Aetna, refused to cover the cost of a new one.

The accident took Guerrero’s toes and half of the front of her left foot. Her first prosthesis was fully paid for by insurance. But when she needed a replacement, Aetna denied the claim, calling it 'not medically necessary' for comfort.

Guerrero’s mother stepped in, charging $7,500 to a credit card so her daughter could walk at her college graduation. Even after NBC News contacted Aetna for comment, the company rejected Guerrero’s request a second time.

Guerrero now uses the new prosthesis daily, but the financial burden fell on her family. Aetna’s decision left them covering the full cost, despite her policy’s earlier support for a similar device.

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