In America, $0.26 is worth more than a dying man's life.

In the United States of America, $0.26 -- just a penny and a quarter -- is worth more than your life. Or, at least that was the case for Sergio Branco:

The letter listed premium amounts for family coverage, but the Brancos only wanted coverage for Sergio. So Mara Branco called Paychex, the third-party benefits administrator that was handling COBRA on Russell Reid’s behalf, to ask about the premium for just Sergio.

The cost would be $518.26 per month.

So on or about May 24, Mara Branco filled out the paperwork and mailed a check to Paychex for the first month of coverage.

She wrote the check, dated May 24, for an even $518, inadvertently missing the 26 cents.

Paychex cashed the check on June 11.

The family thought all was well, and Branco continued to receive treatment. But later in June, the hospital told Branco he didn’t have insurance coverage.

Surprised and thinking there was an error, Mara Branco contacted Paychex.

That’s when she was told for the first time that the payment was 26 cents short. Paychex didn’t offer an option to bring the payment up-to-date, Mara Branco said.

"They’re playing with my husband’s life," she said.

Mara Branco noted they were still well before the payment deadline, but she said Paychex told her it was instructed by Russell Reid not to accept any more payments from the Brancos.

So, a bit of background. The whole reason Branco -- who needs a bone marrow transplant to fight acute myeloid leukemia -- was forced to pay for his entire insurance premium was because his company, Russell Reid, decided to fire him when he needed more than the three months of medical leave guaranteed by law. So, then the family has to pay for Branco's coverage under COBRA, which is administered by a company called Paychex. Coverage is cancelled after the $0.26 mistake. Russell Reid and Paychex start playing 'blame game' until a lawyer gets involved.

Luckily, the insurance seems to be on the path to reinstatement -- no thanks to Branco's immoral employer or a recalcitrant Paychex:

Then things changed late Friday.

"The Department of Labor said the company will reinstate him from May till now," a relieved Mara Branco said. "They said the company did it wrong. I am super happy. It’s like a weight has lifted off my shoulder. It’s better than winning the lottery."

Branco said Paychex told her she could mail payments for May, June and July and she would receive more paperwork about the August payment.

The family said it will not pursue the court case, and the transplant is still scheduled for Aug. 16.

They promise to keep us posted.

Now, I would encourage you to read this entire article in full. Karin Price at New Jersey's Star Ledger did some great work. Let's still unpack the broader policy issues here, though.

First, this is another example of the insanity of tying health insurance coverage to employment. You are healthy? You work and have health insurance. You get really, really sick? You get fired -- after some months -- and lose your health insurance.

Second, would Russell Reid and Paychex have seemingly colluded to cancel this man's insurance over $0.26 if he were not facing the most expensive medical emergency imaginable?

Third, what is with the sadism that passes for rational discourse in American life today? Perhaps one answer is that it arises from scared and brainwashed folks misunderstanding just who exactly is economically screwing them. Check out this reader comment from the original article:

There is nothing stopping this guy from getting treatment. The issue here is how is it going to be paid for.  

Not sure why everyone thinks that forcing people to pay for their medical care is a tragedy.

The fact is, insurance is what makes medical costs so high because it eliminates moral hazards and allows hospitals and doctors to charge whatever they want outside of the constraints of capitalism.

Forcing people to pay for their own medical care is a good thing. Isn't that how you buy every other product? Why is medical care different?

Presumably, under the Affordable Care Act, Branco's job loss would be considered a 'qualifying life event' and he would be able to immediately access new insurance on the New Jersey exchange. In a few months, hopefully, we'll see less of these 'uniquely American' stories of corporate brutality at the nexus of greed and private health insurance.

What, though, would be the real solution? An improved Medicare program covering everyone from birth to grave: Medicare for all.

Just remember, folks, that in no other developed country on this Earth would a man potentially face death over $0.26. We should be ashamed.