Caught red-handed by media, UnitedHealthcare suddenly insures thin toddler

[babylonsister]

http://dscriber.com/denver/547-caught-red-handed-by-media-company-suddenly-insures-thin-baby.html

Caught red-handed by media, company suddenly insures thin toddler
Wednesday, 21 October 2009 18:59


Why Health Care Sucks


-- As we noted yesterday, 2-year-old, 22-pound Aislin Bates was denied health insurance by UnitedHealthcare's Golden Rule Insurance Co. in Colorado because she was too thin. But now, in a definite trend, the company is reversing its stand after the family contacted news organizations. The same thing happened in the case of another Colorado kiddo denied coverage by Rocky Mountain Health Plans -- on in his case it was because he was too rotund.

Besides the obvious issues surrounding the problematic and sometimes unfair U.S. health care system, the Golden Rule's backtracking also raises another issue: Why would these families dare trust their children to such companies after having to fight so hard to get in?


http://dscriber.com/home/543-thin-baby-denied-health-insurance-by-us-company-that-advised-sterilization-in-another-case.html

Skinny baby denied health insurance by company that advised sterilization to woman
Tuesday, 20 October 2009 17:38

Why Health Care Sucks
As you consider the plight of tiny Aislin Bates, keep in mind that no other wealthy nation on the planet allows health care to be denied to its children. But that's exactly what happened to Bates, a two-year-old girl in Colorado considered too risky a client to be insured by United Healthcare's Golden Rule. If you'll recall, that's the same company that caused a big ruckus during a congressional hearing when Peggy Robertson, also from Colorado, testified she could not get insurance from the company because she had delivered a baby via Caesarean section. The company advised her to consider sterilization as a pathway to coverage.

But more on that -- as well as the tale of a second baby denied insurance by another company -- in a second. First to lil' Aislin, who weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces at birth.

Though she's now 22 pounds, according to 7 News in Denver, the poor kid's parents received a letter making them feel like saps: "We are unable to provide coverage for Aislin because her height and weight do not meet our company standards." Apparently Aislin was too small, putting her in the category of children who might one day actually need to access a doctor (although she seems quite healthy).

Of course all this comes at a bad time. As everyone knows -- and is sick of hearing -- the United States is mired in a raging debate over health care reform. Most private insurers are dead set against various plans that advocates say would protect consumers. Moreover, private insurers generally say a publicly-funded government option for people who cannot otherwise find, or afford, health insurance could put them out of business. Some insurers are paying lobbyists to defeat the reform packages backed by most Democrats and President Barack Obama and largely opposed by Republicans.

When Robertson shared her story with the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee earlier this month, U.S. Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, said what Golden Rule had done to Robertson was a moral outrage.

Meanwhile, another baby in Colorado was recently denied care -- but this time because he was considered obese. At 4 months old, Alex Lange weighs 17 pounds and was denied by Rocky Mountain Health Plans because of his weight. Amid intense media coverage, the insurer suddenly said it would change its policy and cover babies that are healthy but rotund, blaming its denial on a flaw in underwriting.

It was unclear at this writing how many other people had been denied health coverage for such reasons.

[ejpoeta]

1. guess that is how we can fix it.... just feature another person who was denied

for some stupid reason every day until the healthcare companies are shamed into covering EVERYONE!!

[Warpy]

2. I guess they got the memo: thin is in

That fat kid is still SOL, though.

[gratefultobelib]

3. I believe the decision was reversed for him also.

[Ruby the Liberal]

5. They caved as well. First, actually.

:D

[Ruby the Liberal]

4. Aaaah. The warmth of sunlight.

Forget the attorney. Call the media first. :evilgrin:

[Blue State Blues]

6. "no other wealthy nation on the planet allows health care to be denied to its children"

not a small point, that. It's not just the insurance companies that should be ashamed.

[hedgehog]

7. Health insurance made sense in the days when people went to the doctor

and/or the hospital for these things and these things only:

1. to give birth

2. to have tonsils removed

3. to have a broken limb set

4. to die quickly from cancer, heart attack, pneumonia, etc.

5. for treatment after an accident (often covered by workman's comp or auto insurance)

Insurance companies collected premiums for years, invested the money, made occasional payouts from the investment profits and things were just fine.

Now, the focus of health care is on preventing illness, early diagnosis and managing chronic illness. People who can afford to do so see their health care provider(s) on a regular basis even if they feel perfectly healthy. We treat and/or manage hypertension, type II diabetes, kidney failure, cataracts, arthritis, etc. Cancer used to kill in weeks. Now it is often a chronic disease.

There is no time to invest premiums and pay out claims out of the proceeds, the bills come in as fast as the premiums. Now the insurance companies operate as a kind of mafia. People give their money to the insurance companies, and the companies decide how much gets passed on to the people actually providing health care.

Is there anything more ludicrous?

[Lochloosa]

8. raises another issue: Why would these families dare trust their children to such companies after hav

raises another issue: Why would these families dare trust their children to such companies after having to fight so hard to get in?


Because they don't have any FUCKING choice.

[Omnibus]

9. EVERY parent with a kid who was denied coverage should go public.

Drag their shameful practices out into the light. The more repulsive they look, the easier it is for Congress to pass HCR that doesn't suck.