Student-athlete breaks leg in NCAA Tourney. Family may get stuck with medical bills.

[Scuba]

from my email ....

In the NCAA basketball tournament yesterday, Louisville sophomore Kevin Ware suffered a gruesome injury: His leg bone literally tore through his skin.

Doctors say things are under control, but there will be a lengthy recovery.

While the NCAA makes over $780 million per year off student athletes, they do not guarantee that medical bills for injuries will be covered.

Can you sign our petition to the NCAA?

PETITION TO NCAA: "Kevin Ware and other student athletes should not suffer tens of thousands of dollars in health care costs from sports-related injuries. The NCAA should require schools to pay for universal health care for student athletes who suffer injuries."

http://act.boldprogressives.org/survey/ncaa_healtchare/?source=link-typ&referring_akid=12739.623692.0X24Pv

[Teamster Jeff]

1. K&R Signed

The NCAA is a joke. Millions upon millions of dollars being made off of college sports they should require the schools to cover their athletes. The NCAA is more likely to come down on Kevin Ware demanding to know who paid for the crutches in the picture.

[indepat]

2. Done. It's an outrage that the NCAA/conferences/schools reap huge financial benefits off the backs

of student athletes without full guarantees that all medical expenses/rehabilitation/therapy/occupational training et al be paid for when injuries are sustained.

[MyOwnPeace]

3. Excuse me?

They don't/won't cover these kids?

Now THAT is not right!

[davidn3600]

12. Of course not

College sports is about nothing but money...for the university.

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. The NCAA s a scam

[LittleBlue]

5. Are you certain this is accurate?

Andrew Sweeney ?@Sweezy_F_Baby 5h

Where are ppl getting the idea that Kevin Ware has to pay his medical bills? D1 athletes get insurance covered by their athletic department.

I was pretty sure it wasn't handled by the NCAA, but by the schools themselves.

[Scuba]

18. You may find this interesting ...

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/all-in-/51398983#51399243

[we can do it]

6. They never have covered any student athlete injuries in any sport.

It shouldn't be just basketball players in a tournament IMO.

[Skittles]

7. good to see him standing

I hope his ordeal brings this lack of guaranteed health coverage to some scrutiny

[malaise]

8. There's nothing like exploitation linked to school or college sports

Biggest rip off on earth

[geek tragedy]

9. It seems that 'bold progressives' is blowing smoke on this.

NCAA schools provide health care for injured athletes. That's the rules. Certainly Louisville does.

What doesn't get covered are lost wages due to the injury down the road.

[Scuba]

10. More from the email ...

The New York Times highlighted this issue four years ago, reporting that "the situation has confused and frustrated athletes and their families, some of whom have had to shoulder large and unexpected medical bills."

Since then, almost nothing has changed. Today, progressive columnist David Sirota writes that Kevin Ware's "injury in service to the NCAA’s multimillion-dollar machine could spell the end of his financial aid and massive healthcare bills to boot."

Are you sure the NCAA covers all sports injuries? Can you provide a citation?

[geek tragedy]

11. There has been some speculation that he could lose his scholarship.

But, it would be the mother of all P.R. disasters for Louisville to screw him.

Schools are required to provide supplemental insurance for athetes to cover those injuries that their primary health insurance doesnt cover.

It's usually not DI schools where athletes get taken to the cleaners--it's D3 schools.

[Scuba]

19. You may find this interesting ...

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/all-in-/51398983#51399243

[Historic NY]

13. He is just a piece of meat to the college.....

if he can't play they will toss him aside for one who can.

[JVS]

14. Wouldn't student athletes be covered by the medical insurance that universities force every...

student to buy?

[SoCalDem]

15. Sports injuries may be exempted since sports is "optional"

Anyone can get sick, but sports injuries may be considered as outside the "normal" coverage..

[Downwinder]

16. This should be extended to High School interscholastic

sports.

Universal health care would solve the whole problem.

[Scuba]

17. Your last comment is of course, the best.