A California man is suing Kaiser Foundation Health Plan, Inc., for “elder abuse, negligence and unfair business practices,” alleging that his penis eroded and split into two because of inaction by his insurance provider.
The incident in question began at a nursing facility in California when Rupert Collins, an elderly patient residing at Napa Valley Care Center, began experiencing difficulty with a Foley catheter that had been inserted into his genitals.
In response, a nurse sent Kaiser a fax reporting that Collins’ penis was red, swollen, and had endured a cut. The insurer denied her request to remove the catheter.
This led to further damage to the man's penis.
"As a direct result of this reckless neglect by Kaiser, the Foley was left in Rupert's red and swollen and cut penis, and his penis began to erode further and further each day," his complaint reads, according to Courthouse News Service.
A few days later, the nursing facility held a "care conference" to discuss Collins’ health, but nobody from Kaiser attended.
Then a different nurse transmitted a fax to Kaiser requesting to remove the catheter, nine days after the initial correspondence. Once again, the insurer denied the plea.
Collins’ daughter examined his penis on the following day, and was shocked at what she discovered.
“Rupert's penis was split completely in half from the tip of his penis all the way down to the scrotum sac," the complaint states.
She contacted a third nurse, who simply told her that penis erosion is normal and would heal over time. The daughter insisted on medical attention, however, and managed to book a urologist to examine her father’s penis.
By then, unfortunately, it was too late.
"Rupert's penis and urethra is permanently eroded away and Rupert has suffered permanent genital mutilation," the doctor stated in the complaint.
Collins is seeking general and specific damages, reimbursement of monies paid to Kaiser, and attorney fees.
