Blue Shield of California executives met privately with leaders from the San Francisco firefighters union and other advocacy organizations on Monday to discuss implementing insurance policy reforms aimed at ensuring first responders aren’t left without critical medical care.  “Our members pu t their lives on the line every day when they go fight fires,” said Sam Gebler, president of the San Francisco firefighter union, Local 798. “We took that risk knowingly, but we didn’t know we would also have to fight insurance companies when we got cancer.” Gebler was one of about a dozen people who attended the roughly two-hour meeting, which included four representatives from Blue Shield. Sam Gebler is president of the San Francisco firefighters union, Local 798, which represents about 1,700 firefighters. Blue Shield discusses reforms with firefighter advocates “Anytime you’re hearing that somehow there were members that were caught in the middle in any way, shape, or form, it’s how do we actually ensure we’re listening and hearing,” said Tim Lieb, Senior Vice President of Commercial Markets for Blue Shield of California. “What are those opportunities for us to actually improve everything we do?” Attendees of Monday’s meeting, which was not open to the public, stepped outside for a brief break during the roughly two-hour discussion between Blue Shield representatives and firefighter advocates at San Francisco City Hall. The meeting came one week after the death of veteran San Francisco firefighter Ken Jones, 71, whose insurance claim denials for part of his cancer treatment spurred public outcry in recent months, including a massive rally on the steps of San Francisco City Hall and, more recently, a public hearing, where members of the San Francisco Board of Supervisors grilled insurance company representatives about Blue Shield’s claims process and the long wait times physicians have faced when trying to lodge appeals after their patients’ medical claims have been denied. Ken Jones met his wife Helen Horvath (right) while the two were working as firefighters in San Francisco. Jones spent 17 years with the department, serving as a first responder and then later as a lead counselor, helping fellow firefighters cope with job-related trauma. “We’re trying to streamline the process so that things can happen faster,” said Fred Sanchez, who heads ‘Protect Our Benefits,’ a nonprofit dedicated to ensuring San Francisco city employees receive the retirement benefits and health coverage they are owed. “I think there is progress being made, but it’s not going as fast as I’d like it,” Sanchez told NBC Bay Area at the conclusion of the meeting.   We’re trying to streamline the process so that things can happen faster.Fred Sanchez, president of Protect Our Benefits, discusses ongoing reform efforts with Blue Shield of California to ensure physicians are able to voice concerns in a timely fashion following medical claim denials Sanchez and other attendees expect to meet with Blue Shield representatives again in the coming weeks to continue discussions on potential reforms. Fred Sanchez is a retired deputy chief with the San Francisco Fire Department and president of Protect Our Benefits, a nonprofit advocacy organization representing San Francisco city employees and retirees. In the case of Ken Jones, Blue Shield denied part of his lung cancer treatment in December.  The insurer cited medical guidelines, which it argued prohibited the approval of such care because of Jones’ particular stage of cancer. Jones’ oncologist, Dr. Matthew Gubens, adamantly disagreed with Blue Shield’s interpretation. In fact, Gubens himself helped write some of the most influential guidelines on cancer care through his work with the National Comprehensive Cancer Network, an alliance of 34 leading cancer centers. After Jones’ initial claim was rejected, Gubens attempted to lodge an appeal over the phone by dialing the number listed on Blue Shield’s denial letter. According to Gubens, after spending nearly three hours on the call, he was unable to reach the appropriate representative. San Francisco Jun 2 Firefighter dies of cancer after protracted battle with insurance company  Investigative Unit Feb 20 CA lawmaker summons Blue Shield to discuss firefighter's cancer treatment denial “I reached people who apologized, but they weren’t the right place to send the appeal to and often referred me back to the first person I talked to,” Gubens previously told NBC Bay Area. “That number goes through a phone tree that eventually hangs up on me.” Gubens ultimately submitted his appeal to Blue Shield in writing, which was denied. Dr. Matthew Gubens, who treated Jones’ Stage 4 lung cancer, heads the UC San Francisco Thoracic Medical Oncology Clinic. Following Monday’s meeting, Senior Investigative Reporter Bigad Shaban asked Lieb to explain why Gubens was unable to reach the right person after spending hours on Blue Shield’s appeals hotline. “We cannot talk about any of the member-specific issues – that’s not something we’re able to do,” Lieb said. “Yes, there’s questions, but we can’t respond to them.” Tim Lieb, Blue Shield Senior Vice President of Commercial Markets, says the insurance company is actively working to improve internal systems to make it easier for physicians to file appeals in the wake of medical denials, but he could not offer a timeline on when such reforms would be enacted. Yes, there’s questions, but we can’t respond to them.Tim Lieb, Blue Shield Senior Vice President of Commercial Markets In January, four months prior to Jones’ passing, NBC Bay Area provided Blue Shield with an authorization form, signed by Jones, granting permission for the insurance company to release “any and all information Blue Shield maintains,” including information relating to Jones’ “medical care, diagnosis, providers, insurance or benefit claims/payments, and/or financial/billing information.” While Blue Shield has since provided responses relating to Jones’ insurance battle and medical history, the insurance company has never explained why Jones’ oncologist was unable to successfully submit an appeal through Blue Shield’s appeals hotline. “If you have a cancer diagnosis and you are being treated by an expert, you shouldn’t then have to be on hold with insurance companies fighting for these treatments to be approved,” Gebler said.  “If you’re fighting cancer, that’s enough. You don’t also need to be fighting an insurance company.” Watch our entire investigative series Part 1: Veteran San Francisco firefighter denied cancer treatment Part 2: Beloved firefighter tearfully reacts to insurance denial of Stage 4 cancer drugs Part 3: Firefighter couple ‘outraged’ after oversight board sides with Blue Shield Part 4: Firefighter dumps Blue Shield in hopes of getting previously denied cancer care Part 5: CA lawmaker summons Blue Shield to discuss firefighter’s cancer treatment denial Part 6: Blue Shield in hot seat after San Francisco firefighter’s cancer care denial Part 7: SF Supervisors question Blue Shield over firefighter’s stage 4 cancer treatment denial Part 8: Firefighter dies of cancer after protracted battle with insurance company  Part 9: Blue Shield weighs insurance reforms after firefighter Ken Jones dies of cancer ...read more read less