San Francisco firefighter Ken Jones fights Blue Shield's denial of $47K in cancer treatment, sparking scrutiny over insurer denials for city retirees.

Retired San Francisco firefighter Ken Jones, battling stage 4 lung cancer linked to job-related toxins, is fighting a denial of $47,000 in treatment by Blue Shield of California, which covers the city’s Medicare Advantage plan. His oncologist recommended a combination of chemotherapy and immunotherapy, but Blue Shield initially denied immunotherapy, citing federal guidelines, despite public outcry. Jones’ family and city officials, including Mayor Daniel Lurie and Supervisors Matt Dorsey and Connie Chan, called the denial a moral failure and launched an investigation into potential patterns of delayed or denied care for city retirees. At least three other firefighters reportedly faced similar denials, prompting scrutiny of the city’s 2024 switch from UnitedHealthcare to Blue Shield. Advocates stress that treatment decisions should be made by medical professionals, not insurers, and are pushing for systemic reform to protect public employees’ access to care. Blue Shield declined to comment on individual cases but said coverage follows federal standards and appeals are available.