Even better news today in the case of the 12-year-old Michigan boy who initially was denied insurance coverage for his new $30,000 prosthetic arm.

The Investigative Fund has been covering Benjamin French’s story for a few weeks, which has resulted in additional media attention for the French family and a mention on the floor of the Senate by Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-Mich.)

On Wednesday we reported that his health insurance provider had reversed the denial and would cover his new device.

The Fund has since learned it won’t just be Benjamin who will get more assistance, but other families covered by the same health plan – the Michigan Conference of Teamsters Welfare Fund.  

The union group establishes many of the parameters of its health-care policy, which is administered by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan.

Under the old rules, some people like Benjamin were facing lifetime caps for prosthetics. But on Nov. 24, the Teamsters Welfare Fund raised the cap by $30,000 for members and families who had plans like the French family’s, and it made the change retroactive for 2009.

Welfare Fund executive director Richard Burker said in an e-mail to us that the decision was part of the group’s standard appeals process and was not affected by the publicity Benjamin French was receiving.