Day One of Cancer Treatment: Insurance Approval Roadblock

Insurance Failure Forces Scott Huffman's Doctor to Change Treatment Plan

Salisbury, NC, July 30, 2026. Scott Huffman, Democratic nominee for North Carolina House District 76, was scheduled to receive his first hormone therapy injection for prostate cancer today. The medication was in his doctor's office, the appointment was scheduled, and Huffman was prepared to begin treatment.

The injection never happened because the insurance approval never came.

Huffman's doctor had planned to begin treatment today because timing is critical and waiting was not an acceptable option; his doctor was forced to change the treatment plan in real time.

"I was prepared for the shot. I knew it was going to hurt like hell, but it was one shot and it was part of fighting this cancer," Huffman said. "The medication was sitting in the doctor's office waiting for me. I was ready. My doctor was ready. The insurance company was not."

Huffman said the experience shows how quickly an insurance approval process can interfere with medical decisions that should be made between a patient and a doctor.

"This was supposed to be my first day of cancer treatment. Instead, it became my first insurance roadblock," Huffman said. "My doctor should not have to change a cancer treatment plan because an insurance company failed to approve the medication on time."

Rather than risk a further delay, Huffman's doctor selected another course of treatment. Huffman said he is grateful to have a doctor who acted quickly, but many patients are not as fortunate.

"This is not just my story. This happens to people every day with cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and other serious medical conditions," Huffman said. "People pay higher premiums, higher deductibles, and higher copays, only to be told that they still need permission before receiving the care their doctor ordered."

Huffman said the cost and complexity of healthcare are crushing working families at the exact moment they are most vulnerable.

"I keep thinking about the people who are simply told no," Huffman said. "The people who do not have a doctor willing to fight through the process. People who cannot afford another medication. The people who lose precious time because an insurance company is reviewing paperwork while they are fighting for their lives."

Huffman said the experience has made the purpose behind his campaign even clearer.

​"I am running for every person who has been forced to wait for healthcare while an insurance company decides whether their doctor's treatment plan is acceptable," Huffman said. "Cancer does not wait for paperwork. Patients should not have to wait either."