Community | October 20, 2009 | 11 comments

Colorado Toddler Denied Health Insurance For Being Underweight

source: http://www.thedenverchannel.com/health/21348145/detail.html

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atomiclegion

http://www.thedenverchannel.com/health/21348145/detail.html

The parents of a two-year-old girl in Colorado are unable to attain health insurance for their daughter because the insurer, United Healthcare Golden Rule, claims she is too small. In a letter sent to the family of the child, Aislin Bates, United Healthcare Golden Rule writes, "we are unable to provide coverage for Aislin because her height and weight do not meet our company standards." According to a Colorado news station, Aislin weighed six pounds, six ounces at birth, and now weighs 22 pounds.

When Robert Bates, the girl's father, left his former job to start his own business, he was forced to seek out his own health insurance, and enrolled his family in an insurance plan with United Healthcare Golden Rule. "It took me by surprise," Bates told ABC 7 in Denver. "I didn't think that her size was that abnormal and that it was something that you'd consider to be unhealthy." As ABC 7 reports:

A spokeswoman for United Healthcare Golden Rule said 89 percent of the people who apply for insurance get it. Ellen Laden, the company's public relations director, told the station that most insurers have their own propriety height and weight guidelines.


"Ours are based on several medical sources, including the Centers for Disease Control, and are well within industry standards," she said.



Laden said she couldn't talk about specific cases like the Bates's.

Robert Bates, however, isn't satisfied. "What we want to see is that insurance companies have legitimate reasons for denying coverage," he said.

Recently, another child in Colorado, Alex Lange, was also denied coverage (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/12/alex-lange-denied-health_n_317337.html), but for "preexisting obesity" instead of being underweight. In that instance, the insurer, Rocky Mountain Health Plans, reversed their policy (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/12/rocky-mountain-health-pla_n_317954.html) after the parents of the 17-pound infant gained media exposure. After the reversal, Rocky Mountain Health Plans attributed the boy's rejection for health coverage to a "flaw in our underwriting system."

The Bates family is hoping for a similar change in policy. In the meantime, Aislin Bates remains uninsured.
  1. groups:
    Community,   News and Politics,   Politics,   Current Tonight,   1 more
  2. tags:
    Colorado,  politics news,  Preexisting Condition,  Alex Lange,  7 more
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11 comments // Colorado Toddler Denied Health Insurance For Being Underweight

  • spoon
    • 0
      spoon  

    • Here's why it is REALLY interesting.

      The girl's father says he does not believe in universal health coverage, but believes health insurers should have "legitimate" reasons for denying coverage.

      Does that mean if his daughter has cancer, she "legitimately" should be denied?

      Sheesh.

    • 3 years ago
  • div
  • barbie_chola89
  • artemis6
  • galwayman
    • 0
      galwayman  

    • it is about GREED! The only answer is health care reform! these scum need to be out of business forever and prosecuted! we have allowed the rich elite to dictate to us! we have given away our rights because they say it will make us safer which is crap! the real terrorists are the rich elite who control this country and our lives! RISE UP! RESIST! FIGHT! lets take our country back,round up these criminals and shoot them for crimes committed against us! now thats social justice!

    • 3 years ago
  • FoosMaster
    • 0
      FoosMaster  

    • It's about the MONEY!!!
      If the company even thinks that they 'might' loose money on someone it is a reason to deny coverage.
      It's about GREED!!!
      They need to protect their obscene profits. These people don't care about anyone but themselves.

    • 3 years ago
  • lifestudentno83
    • 0
      lifestudentno83  

    • Yep, there's no reason to reform our health care system when toddlers are denied coverage due to "weight issues"...

      They have to pay like everyone else. Tell those lazy toddlers to get a job and pay for their own medical insurance instead of trying to create socialism to pay for their own laziness. They're a drain on the economy...

      [sarcasm is smarter than stupidity]

    • 3 years ago
  • masterzip
    • 0
      masterzip  

    • the term "well within industry standards" can be used to answer every question on why you are not insured, or denied coverage, or justify their multi trillion dollar profits

    • 3 years ago
  • Newcastle81
    • 0
      Newcastle81  

    • How can this be justified to deny the required coverage to a CHILD!! I am fully aware that alot of countries make jokes about the british healthcare system how our taxes pay for nurses & medical expenses, so we have no need for insurance. What is the main issue in given this child cover her height/weight why she is developing physically slower than other children but as we are all aware people develop at different rates or are the so called healthcare providers dumb to that fact.

    • 3 years ago
  • bamboobanga007
    • 0
      bamboobanga007  

    • This is fucking ridiculous! We should all just move to Canada. Seriously. I'm so tired of bullshit from "Health care Providers" and hospitals. All they ever bring is grief, anything BUT care.

    • 3 years ago
  • shroomfairy
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