More than 2 million Americans are living with limb loss.

A government accountability office report says that number is expected to almost double by 2050.

Yet recent reporting by KFF Health News finds that many who've lost limbs are hitting roadblocks

when they try to get insurance to cover the cost of prosthetic limbs.

Some companies even question whether these life-changing devices are medically necessary.

Ali Rogan spoke with Michelle Andrews, a contributing writer for KFF Health News.

Michelle, thank you so much for joining us. Why are these denials happening? And what do we know about

the scale of the problem? Well, I can't actually speak for the insurers, but I can say that when

I've asked them about denials, they've said, well, we do, in fact, cover these prosthetics when

they're medically necessary to replace a body part or use every day. But when you talk to,

you know, advocates, you find out that that's not actually the case. There are a couple million

people who need prosthetics. And so, you know, given that these are fairly expensive items,

I think it's one of those things that, you know, maybe on the chopping block when

they're looking at ways to save money. And, you know, these are for-profit entities. That's a very

good point. Are we seeing this happen more with private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, or is there

really no distinction? There's a big difference. Public insurance, Medicare, the VA, Medicaid, to some degree, they're pretty good about covering prosthetics.

But in private insurance, you do see some, you know, good coverage, but it's all over the map, from what I'm told.

And that can mean that it really isn't very good at all.

We spoke to a number of people who either have had their request for coverage denied.

Some are still fighting.

Some have received their prosthetics, but only after an appeals process.

I want to play some of their stories.

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