Courage. He soon became a target of the regime and was transformed into an armed revolutionary. This is what became of syrias Third Largest city, and the only way we know that is because the war has been filmed by its citizens, who have to fight every day just to stay alive. translated my camera and everything ive filmed are more valuable than my life. Cooper our lives are filled with distractions email, twitter, texting. Were constantly connected to technology, which is probably why theres a growing movement in america to train people to get around the stresses of daily life. There are a lot of different ways to talk about mindfulness, but what it really means is awareness. Cooper is it being present . It is being present. Thats exactly what it is. Cooper i dont feel im very present. I feel like, every moment, im either thinking about something thats coming down the road or something thats been in the past. So, ultimately, all of this preparing is for what . Were only alive now. Im steve kroft. Im lesley stahl. Im bob simon. Im anderson cooper. Im bill whitaker. Im scott pelley. Those stories tonight on 60 minutes. What if one push up couldcoli cprevent Heart Disease . Cancer . One. Wishful thinking, right . But there is one step you can take to help prevent another serious disease pneumococcal pneumonia. One dose of the prevnar 13 ® vaccine can help protect you. From pneumococcal pneumonia, an illness that can cause coughing, chest pain, difficulty breathing, and may even put you in the hospital. Prevnar 13 is used in adults 50 and older to help prevent infections from 13 strains of the bacteria that cause pneumococcal pneumonia. You should not receive prevnar 13 if youve had a severe allergic reaction to the vaccine or its ingredients. If you have a weakened immune system, you may have a lower response to the vaccine. Common side effects were pain, redness, or swelling at the injection site. Limited arm movement, fatigue, head ache muscle or joint pain, less appetite, chills, or rash. Even if youve already been vaccinated with another pneumonia vaccine, prevnar 13 ® may help provide additional protection. Get this one done. Ask your healthcare professional about prevnar 13 ® today. Dad yeah, 20 something years now. Thinking about what you want to do with your money . Daughter looking at options. What do you guys pay in fees . Dad i dont know exactly. Daughter if youre not happy do they have to pay you back . Dad it doesnt really work that way. Daughter you sure . Vo are you asking enough questions about the way your wealth is managed . Wealth management at charles schwab. Oh, of course vo meet maggie. Smile woah, this takes really good pictures vo maggie wants some handson experience. Handson experience. With samsung. But shes been going about it all the wrong way. I have . Yeah, you have. Vo luckily for maggie, there is a place for her to touch, try and play with all of the devices shes been dying to get her hands on. The Samsung Experience shop, only at best buy. Pelley two years ago tonight, we were reeling from the shock of the murders of 20 first graders and six educators at sandy hook elementary school. Since then, weve learned that the killer suffered profound Mental Illness. His parents sought treatment, but at least once, their Health Insurance provider denied payment. Because of recurring tragedies and an epidemic of suicides, weve been investigating the battles that parents fight for psychiatric care. We found that the vast majority of claims are routine, but the Insurance Industry aggressively reviews the cost of chronic cases. Long term care is often denied by Insurance Company doctors who never see the patient. As a result, some seriously ill patients are discharged from hospitals over the objections of psychiatrists who warn that someone may die. In the pictures, theres no sign of the torment of katherine west. But by the age of 14, she was wasting away, purging her food. Nancy west, katherines mother, was told by her doctors that the bulimia was rooted in major depression. Nancy west in fact, prior to the eating disorder, she was cutting, so there were self harming behaviors from, i would probably say, at least 12 on. Pelley to stop purging, she had to be watched around the clock. Her doctors prescribed treatment that could cost more than 50,000 at a hospital for 12 weeks. The Insurance Company stopped paying after six weeks . West six weeks pretty much was it for them. They were done. And if you know about a Mental Illness, you dont cure a Mental Illness in six weeks. Pelley the Health Insurance company was anthem, second largest in the nation. An anthem reviewer found katherine should leave the hospital because she had put on enough weight. Her doctor warned that she was desperate to shed those pounds. West they were telling the Insurance Company, she needs to stay here. She needs more longterm treatment. She isnt ready for this. Pelley the Insurance Company overruled the doctor. Katherine west came home as an outpatient. West i was texting her no response. I got home at 12 30 that day and i found my daughter in bed. Shed been gone for hours. And i just remember running through the house screaming. I couldnt believe it. My beautiful girl was gone. She was gone. Pelley katherine was dead at the age of 15. As her doctors predicted, shed been purging again, which led to heart failure. Did it make sense to you that a doctor at the Insurance Company was making these decisions based on telephone conversations . West no, no, they didnt observe my daughter. Youre talking about a psychiatrist, a pediatrician, a therapist who observed my daughter on a daily basis. But some nameless, faceless doctor is making this decision. And i was furious. Because, basically, to me, he was playing god with my daughters life. Pelley the kind of review that resulted in the discharge of katherine west works like this after a patient is admitted, an Insurance Company representative starts calling the doctor every day, or every few days. If that representative decides that the patient is ready for a lower level of care, then the case is referred to an Insurance Company physician who reads the file, calls the doctor, and renders a judgment. We have found in these chronic, expensive cases that judgment is most often a denial. How often the results are tragic, no one can say. But we have found examples. In 2012, jacob morenos further hospitalization was denied, even after a doctor warned, the patient states that he wanted to kill other people, many people. The next day, moreno was naked in the street, swinging at strangers and attacking a police officer. They used a taser to take him down. The state ordered him back to the mental hospital. Richard traimans hospital stay was also cut short. As he was being discharged, he said he would throw himself off a bridge. He didnt. He hung himself the next day. Harold koplewicz theyre called managed care, but its really managed cost. Pelley dr. Harold koplewicz knows insurance review calls well. Hes a leading psychiatrist and founder of a research organization, the child mind institute. Koplewicz when i was running an inpatient unit, i would have to literally speak to a clerk on the phone to say, i need approval for this patient to stay here another five days. And they would say to me, well, is the patient acutely suicidal or acutely homicidal . Well, not right now because hes in the hospital. We took the knife away. We took the gun away. We took the poison away. And they would say, well, then why does he have to be in the hospital . You think to yourself, am i in. Is this oz . Pelley the Insurance Company wants to send them home. Koplewicz well, its a lot cheaper, in the short run. And if youre managing costs on a quarterly basis, you can understand why, from a business point of view, for that quarter, it makes sense. For the sake of the child, for the sake of our society, for the sake of the childs future, it doesnt make any sense. Pelley of all the cases we looked at, one of the most revealing was ashleys. She suffers from bipolar disorder. Ashley in 2012, i had had a suicide attempt. I couldnt find a way out. Pelley was this a cry for help, or did you want to die . Ashley this one was real. I was alone. I tried my best. Pelley ashleys mother, maria, asked us not to mention the family name. Maria one of the doctors told me on the phone, im really sorry, but you will probably bury your daughter. Pelley in 2012, ashley was in the hospital for the fourth time that year. They thought they had taken away everything that could hurt her. But she smashed her cell phone and cut her wrists with the glass. What did that tell you, in terms of the treatment that she needed . Maria it told me that she needed longterm treatment to survive. Pelley maria says that anthem recommended treatment at timberline knolls, a residential facility. A doctor said ashley needed 90 days. But after sending her to illinois from california, anthem denied payment after six days saying that ashley could be safely treated with outpatient services. Did the people at timberline knolls believe that. . Maria no, they didnt. Pelley that she was well . Maria no. They absolutely didnt believe it. They gave us the option of paying 22,000 for. To complete the 30 days. And at that, we. There wasnt a chance that we could do that. Pelley now, look at how ashleys care was denied. This log shows dr. Tim jack, a psychiatrist working on behalf of anthem, called ashleys doctor three times in 32 minutes. One call was disconnected. He left two messages. Dr. Jack waited 22 minutes for a call back, and then denied coverage. From the first call to denial 54 minutes, speaking to no one. Why so fast . Well, it may be, in part, because many insurance doctors are paid by the case. Dr. Jack is a contractor who gets 45 per patient. In court records, dr. Jack says he does 550 reviews a month. So, working from home, that comes to 25,000 a month. We spoke to 26 psychiatrists from across the country, and every one brought up dr. Jacks name. Some called him dr. Denial. This is a recording of dr. Jack telling a physician that a patients level of care should be lowered. Tim jack because given what his current progress is and his current symptoms are, he can be managed at a lower level of care as effectively as in an intensive outpatient program. You know, doctor, i just want to say that i have spoken to you on so many different occasions, and with so many different clients, and ive never really had a positive outcome as far as authorization from you, so i just needed to bring that to your attention. Jack this is not a personal matter. I understand, sir, but the client appears to meet the criteria, so. Pelley we found dr. Jacks denial rate averaged 92 in one sixmonth period in 2011. But that was typical among 11 reviewers contracted by anthem. Some of them had denial rates of 95 and 100 . Whats the impact on a family after a phone call like that . Kathryn trepinski devastating. Pelley Kathryn Trepinski is a lawyer who represents patients. She does not represent ashleys family, but she has filed suit against anthem and other insurers. Trepinski theres untold suffering, and the family is usually left in the very difficult position of either paying for the care out of pocket, which is tens of thousands of dollars, or they say no to their loved one, to their child. Pelley anthem says that reviews are checked by a supervising doctor, but when we obtained ashleys denial letter, we found her review by tim jack, m. D. , was supervised by timothy jack, m. D. So, he signs the documents twice . Trepinski yes, except that he doesnt actually sign them himself. Its a robosignature. Pelley dr. Jack has acknowledged an anthem computer put his name to letters he doesnt see, and on cases he didnt review. Trepinski it suggests a layer of review thats not there. Because the signing doctor is described in the letter as having made that coverage determination and he didnt. Pelley we tried to reach dr. Jack in calls and a letter. We stopped by his home. But he declined to speak. Katherine wests and ashleys parents gave us permission to ask anthem about their cases. Anthem declined an interview, but its chief medical officer wrote that they explored and provided the families numerous care options that went beyond their covered benefits. He goes on to say, successful outcomes require a partnership between patients, families, medical professionals, and health plans. For the Insurance Industrys view, we found anthems former california medical director, dr. Paul keith. He retired in march after years supervising anthem reviews, including those of dr. Jack. He told us that, too often, Insurance Companies are abused by care providers. Paul keith doctors will spin the clinical information. They will make things appear more serious than, perhaps, they are, because they feel strongly the patient needs this level of care for a little longer. So you do have a somewhat adversarial relationship between the reviewer and the attending physician. Pelley youre saying the. The doctor will overstate the case to get the Insurance Company to approve the client . Keith unquestionably, that happens not all the time. And ive been doing this for, you know, over 30 years. Pelley you describe these conversations as adversarial. Is that best for the patient . Keith well, its like our legal system if you. Each side does a good job in presenting their case and asking the right questions, you ultimately arrive at the truth. Pelley but these can be life and death decisions, and you dont know till its too late. Keith i cannot, offhand, think of a situation where a decision was made to discharge a patient from a hospital and some terrible consequence occurred soon thereafter. Im sure it happens, but. Pelley we found quite a few. Keith id have to look at them to see. Theres one that occurs to me that i was involved with where the child left the hospital with his parents, escaped from his parents, drove crosscountry to another state, and days later, committed suicide. Keeping that individual in the hospital longer is not likely to have made any difference. Pelley i would have to imagine that the parents would say, if youd kept him in the hospital, he wouldnt have been in another state killing himself. Keith parents become fearful that, if they leave too soon, the same things going to happen that may have happened in previous occasions, but you cant keep an individual in the hospital forever. Pelley so, to the parent who says the Insurance Company is just trying to get my child out of the hospital, you say what . Keith its half true the Insurance Company may very well want that child to go to a lesser level of care, but money is not the basis for the decision. Pelley a lot of people watching this interview are going to have trouble with the idea that Insurance Companies are not trying to save money. Keith of course, your Insurance Companies are trying to save money. Theres a lot of treatment that is not medically necessary that is provided, and that is a waste of healthcare dollars, and the resources are scarce. Pelley ashleys family hired a lawyer and appealed to the california insurance board, which overturned anthems denials. Now, she is in treatment for bipolar disorder, treatment that may last a lifetime. Katherine west was buried a year ago this month. Her mother has filed suit against anthem. After the mass murder at newtown, the state of connecticuts Sandy Hook Commission studied mental health. A draft of its upcoming report calls the insurance review process a formidable barrier to care and recommends a state Agency Review all denials. Cbs money watch update sponsored by glor good evening. Opec said today there is no set target price for oil and urged exporters to keep drilling, even if prices fall. Petsmart is being sold for 8. 2 billion, the biggest leverage buyout of the year. And fedex says tomorrow could be its busiest day ever. 22. 6 million shipments on the move. Im jeff glor, cbs news. You better pledge your allegiance youre not the only one listen up forefathers im not your son you better help the children let them have some fun some fun some fun. Goodnight. Goodnight. For those kept awake by pain. The night is anything but good. Introducing new aleve pm. The first to combine a safe sleep aid. Plus the 12 hour strength of aleve. For pain relief that can last until the am. Now you can have a good night and a. Good morning new aleve pm. For a better am. Simon mention syria today, and most people will conjure up images of isis militants. But what has been a brutal and bloody civil war began almost four years ago as a peaceful struggle for basic freedoms. Since those early days, a small group of filmmakers has been documenting the countrys descent into chaos. Theyve focused on the city of homs, a cradle of the syrian uprising and a place that has suffered more devastation than anywhere else in the country. The films paint a picture of the conflict that is more raw and revealing than anything youll see on television news. And we warn you some of what youre about to see is difficult to watch, but its a reality millions of syrians have to live with every day. The film return to homs begins in the city streets in the heady days of the arab spring in 2011. After decades of oppression, syrians were rising up against the brutal dictatorship of bashar al assad. The young man chanting is abdul basset alsaroot, a charismatic 19yearold star goalkeeper for the syrian youth soccer team, a local hero. The age of oppression will end, he cries. The people shall overcome. Basset became the pied piper of the homs uprising. He was the son of a poor blacksmith, and his infectious charm inspired thousands to follow him. What was it about him that drew people towards him . Talal derki the songs, his songs. Simon as soon as talal derki, the films director, heard basset in the streets of homs, he knew he had found his subject. We spoke to talal in istanbul. He was 19 when you started filming it. Derki yes, 19. Simon and he had no fear. Derki no fear at all. Simon like the day basset stood above the crowd and started taunting the regimes snipers, who had him in their crosshairs. Derki he start to shout, listen, snipe