Baby Denied Health Insurance For Being 'Too Fat'

children's health insurance
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In another example of why we need a public option, a 4-month-old baby has been denied health insurance because of a pre-existing condition. The condition: obesity.

In the case of a baby this young, obesity really isn't something that's normally called out as an issue. Particularly, as in the case of Alex Lange, when the baby is subsisting totally on breast milk.

As the Denver Post notes, Alex is considered a "happy, healthy four-month-old," at least by his pediatrician's standards. As parents Bernie and Kelli Lange said:

His pediatrician had never mentioned any weight concerns about the baby they call their "happy little chunky monkey."

From the insurer's perspective (Rocky Mountain Health Plans), the issue is that Alex is in the 99th percentile for weight. They refuse to insure anyone above the 95% percentile. Bernie Lange added:

"I could understand if we could control what he's eating. But he's 4 months old. He's breast-feeding. We can't put him on the Atkins diet or on a treadmill. There is just something absurd about denying an infant."

The health plan noted that if health insurance reform (really not health care reform, but health insurance reform) takes place, underwriting would disappear. Underwriting is the process by which insurers insure, or deny coverage.

Of course, it's hard to see how this would take place without a public option. For now, Alex Lange had better not get sick.

Michael Santo's picture

Posted October 12th, 2009 by Michael Santo

Your comments...

baby too fat??

Shelby Bateson's picture
Submitted by Shelby Bateson on Mon, 2009-10-12 18:48.

I love this article!! great job!

e-mails for Rocky Mountain

bliss's picture
Submitted by bliss on Mon, 2009-10-12 19:43.

e-mails for Rocky Mountain Health Plans - - - - - Flood them!!!!

steve.erke­­nbrack@rm­h­p.org - CEO & PRESIDENT --skegj@aol.com -his personal e-mail account

jhopkins@rmhp.org

recruiter@rmhp.org
david.herr@rmhp.org
colleen.mo­­ss@rmhp.o­r­g
medicare@rmhp.org
SOLO_Sales­­_Team@rmh­p­.org
pmohler@rmhp.org
jferguson@rmhp.org
customer_s­­ervice@rm­h­p.org
bmartin@rmhp.org
adina.crig­­ger@rmhp.­o­rg
cmcdaniel@rmhp.org
winhealthc­­ustomer_s­e­rvice@rm­hp­.org
jean.juski­­e@rmhp.or­g
snolan@rmhp.org
tiffany.da­­we@rmhp.o­r­g
svanhale@rmhp.org
dhall@rmhp.org
lcaselli@rmhp.org
svanhale@rmhp.org
jtroyer@RMHP.ORG
Randall@RMHP.org
lori_steph­­enson@rmh­p­.org
dherr@rmhp.org
roger.walt@rmhp.org
twright@rmhp.org
nyenter@rmhp.org
lromero@rmhp.org
erica.spen­­cer@rmhp.­o­rg
jan.rohr@rmhp.org
bev.martin@rmhp.org
ed.frederi­­ck@rmhp.o­r­g
jcampbell@rmhp.org
jferguso@rmhp.org
carrie.hes­­sel@rmhp.­o­rg
pclark@rmhp.org
Kayla.arne­­sen@rmhp.­o­rg
tswanson@rmhp.org
jbrown@rmhp.org
bmartin@rmhp.org
janice.fer­­guson@rmh­p­.org
jtroyer@RMHP.ORG
jamesjsway­­ze@rmhp.o­r­g
david.herr@rmhp.org
carlene.go­ldthwaite@­rmhp.rg
kayla.arne­sen@rmhp.o­rg
edicoordin­ator@rmhp.­org
acrigger@rmhp.org
jean.johns­on@rmhp.or­g
sandy.rand­all@rmhp.o­rg
katie.hime­s@rmhp.org
abeagley@rmhp.org
lfentonfre@rmhp.org
lromero@rmhp.org
judi.evere­tt@rmhp.or­g
kmcquiston@rmhp.org
erica.spen­cer@rmhp.o­rg
matthew.co­ok@rmhp.or­g
julie.pick­ering@rmhp­.org
jeremy.cam­pbell@rmhp­.org
rowena.vil­oria@rmhp.­org
kari.bel@rmhp.org
jan.rohr@rmhp.org
Sheila.wor­th@rmhp.or­g