Braylee Burnett and her family received some good news this week.
Burnett, who turns 18 Wednesday, was diagnosed 2½ years ago with multiple sclerosis, a disease in which the body’s immune system mistakenly produces antibodies that attack a person’s central nervous system.
The disease, which has no known cure, was advanced enough that it requires periodic OCREVUS infusions to keep the wayward antibodies in check.
The Burnetts were dealt a setback earlier this year when their insurance company balked at approving the costly treatments, which could run as high as $160,000 apiece.
After their story went public, the Burnetts’ insurance company, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Kansas, has since relented, notifying the family Monday that it will authorize the infusions at five-month intervals, Amy Burnett said.
Braylee was hospitalized June 19 and 20 at Children’s Mercy Hospital after suffering blurred vision and experiencing sensation changes in her body.
During her stay, her neurologist ordered an infusion.
Braylee has since recovered and is back to her normal self, her mother reported.
“It was her body’s way of letting us know she needed that infusion,” Amy Burnett told the Register.
Her next infusion will be in November.
