JOHN YANG: More than 2 million Americans are living with limb loss.

A Government Accountability Office report says that number is expected to almost double by 2050.

Yet recent reporting by KFF Health News finds that many who've lost limbs are hitting roadblocks when they try to get insurance to cover the cost of prosthetic limbs.

Some companies even question whether these life changing devices are medically necessary.

Ali Rogin spoke with Michelle Andrews, a contributing writer for KFF Health News.

ALI ROGIN: Michelle, thank you so much for joining us.

Why are these denials happening and what do we know about the scale of the problem?

MICHELLE ANDREWS, Contributing Writer, KFF Health News: Well, I can't actually speak for the insurers, but I can say that when I've asked them about denials, they've said, well, we do in fact cover these prosthetics when they're medically necessary to replace a body part or use every day.

But when you talk to, you know, advocates, you find out that's not actually the case.

There are a couple million people who need prosthetics.

And so, you know, given that these are fairly expensive items, I think it's one of those things that, you know, may be on the chopping block when they're at ways to save money.

And, you know, these are for profit entities.

ALI ROGIN: That's a very good point.

Are we seeing this happen more with private insurance, Medicare or Medicaid, or is there really no distinction?

MICHELLE ANDREWS: There's a big difference.

Public insurance, Medicare, the VA, Medicaid to some degree, they're pretty good about covering prosthetics.

But in private insurance, you do see some good coverage, but it's all over the map from what I'm told.

And that can mean that it really isn't very good at all.

ALI ROGIN: We spoke to a number of people who either have had their request for coverage denied, some are still fighting.

Some have received their prosthetics, but only after an appeals process.

I want to play some of their stories.

LEAH KAPLAN, Spokane, Washington: I'm Leah Kaplan, and I'm from Spokane, Washington.

RANDI GLISSON, Charlotte, North Carolina: My name is Randy Glisson.

I am from Charlotte, North Carolina.

PETER MELLO, Whitman, Massachusetts: My name is Peter Mello.

I live in Whitman, Massachusetts.

LEAH KAPLAN: I've had three denial letters.

I feel a little defeated in a way, and I feel like it's.

I feel like I'm in the wrong for asking something that I need.

PETER MELLO: The access to them is met with red tape, brick walls, denials, delays.

RANDI GLISSON: I even got a letter saying that basically I don't do anything that requires two hands.

So I didn't.

I didn't need one.

LEAH KAPLAN: They've actually made my arm already and psionic.

They sent my hand in already and it's literally sitting two miles away from me at the office.

They just cannot give it to me because the insurance.

RANDI GLISSON: I've honestly kind of given up at this point.

And I know that sounds terrible, but it's just.

There's literally nothing else I can do.

LEAH KAPLAN: The insurance, they just keep on sending me a letter just over and over saying, this is a lux -- this is considered a luxury item.

You're kind of baffled by, like, how could you say that about something that you need?

PETER MELLO: You have to prove to these people that your life is worth it.

Get somebody on the phone who has your quality of life dangling in front of you like a carrot, and they're fighting you tooth and nail to get that quality of life.

It's demoralizing.

ALI ROGIN: You know, I think a lot of people hearing that would think, how could anybody say that, you know, a human being doesn't do anything that requires two hands.

It feels like a basic human right.

MICHELLE ANDREWS: It sure does.

And hearing those people talk about the roadblocks and the, you know, the hoops they've had to jump through is just -- it's really sad.

It is something that we all deserve to be able to have, you know, both hands if we want them, and legs and to be able to walk around.

It's not a luxury.

ALI ROGIN: And does it reflect stories that you've heard from other people?

MICHELLE ANDREWS: Absolutely.

People run into just so many, sometimes bizarre seeming roadblocks.

They might run into weird caps, you know, where we'll only cover one limb over the course of your lifetime or will only cover $50,000 one time.

They're told that they're not medically necessary or that they don't cover that particular technology.

When it's technology that's not especially, you know, experimental, it's a microprocessor knee that's been in use for 30 years and that really helps people on uneven surfaces.

It senses if you're going to fall, it actually is, you know, it's a safety device to have a good knee.

ALI ROGIN: Is there any effort taking place among policymakers, lawmakers to address what seems to be an uptick in denials?

MICHELLE ANDREWS: About half the states have laws on the books that require some sort of prosthetic coverage.

So those are called insurance fairness laws.

And then there are some that deal with recreational activities.

There's nothing at the federal level that's been passed that requires coverage of prosthetics.

There have been some efforts in that area, but so far that hasn't happened.

And I think it's important to point out that federal protection is critical because those state laws only protect you if you have health insurance with a plan that is regulated by the state.

And more than half of people are not in those kinds of plans.

They're in big employer plans that are federally regulated.

ALI ROGIN: Michelle Andrews, contributing writer for KFF Health News.

Thank you so much for joining us.

MICHELLE ANDREWS: Thank you for having me.