When a person is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness (such as cancer) and they belong to an HMO, their options for a doctor is limited to their Medical Group. Certain diagnoses, such as breast cancer, require a breast specialist for the proper treatment, but if a Medical Group does not have a specialist these surgeries are performed by general surgeons who do everything from removing warts to mastectomies. In order to see a breast cancer specialist the medical group (at their cost) has to authorize going "out of network".
They usually reject authorizations, patient then appeals to the insurance company, the process takes time, and the cancer keeps growing.
This petition is to allow seriously ill patients automatic access to specialists outside the HMO.