Racer's health/accident insurance

JTno$
Posts
136
Joined
1/31/2015
Location
USA
4/23/2025 7:22pm
TeamGreen wrote:
Aside from some of the good and solid arguments about health insurance and how it should be provided/provided for…Let’s set all that aside for the moment.I’m...

Aside from some of the good and solid arguments about health insurance and how it should be provided/provided for…

Let’s set all that aside for the moment.

I’m gong to request via my Doc…thus, get him to request a Post-Rehab MRI to see where we’re at come 3-4 months post surgery. If my insurance rejects it? I’ll pay myself…because, here’s what’s at stake…

Me.

It’s my health and I can’t preach the following enough…

As a dude about to hit 62, take the time…spend the money…to take REALLY good care of yourself and fix your broken shit and invest your heart and soul in rehabbing your injuries. Rehabbing you.

Obviously, this would also imply the following…

Prioritize your health/health care better than we…or “you” as in you reading this…prioritize your health better than we normally do or better than we usually do.

It’s so much more important than a new ride or a giant tv or whatever material bullshit we “think” is more important.

Invest in you.

You’re worth it. 

Manny 

Manny, I might actually agree with you on this one. I’m definitely guilty of not caring about my health enough, in the past.   I went in for emergency surgery last week and they had to update all of my information. The last time I was in the hospital system was years ago for another emergency type surgery.  Before that, 2013 was my last non-emergency dr visit.

With a 2nd and 3rd surgery this week, I’ll be over my deductible for the year.  With many lingering injuries/issues and approaching 40, I’m considering going under the knife a few more times this year.  My thought being just get as much taken care of now, while it’s on someone else’s dime. Never really cared to address it before. 

4/23/2025 7:46pm
moto9 wrote:
So, I'm really curious what top pro riders, well...and privateers use for health insurance.How does that work?I know at the amateur level, most use their employees...

So, I'm really curious what top pro riders, well...and privateers use for health insurance.

How does that work?

I know at the amateur level, most use their employees health insurance or on their own in the event of an injury.

But pros and privateers have a much higher risk of catastrophic injuries which can be mind boggling expensive.

An MRI alone can be as much as 10k

So many questions...

Do they have to provide their own?

Is it mandatory for pro racing?

Does feld or the teams cover anything?

Is it a special type of coverage?

Are there any extreme sports coverage limitations?

Are there super high deductibles and or cost limits?

Are there crazy high premiums?

Are privateers basically on their own, after what happened to Jerry Robin and the rider down funding, I'm assuming his coverage had limitations.

Did he have coverage, do any privateers ride without insurance?

Be very interesting to see a full indepth journalistic piece on rider health and accident insurance... Or the lack there of in the sport of sx and mx.

Here’s some info on your questions-

https://mxsportsproracing.com/required-insurance

https://americanmotorcyclist.com/rider-medical-insurance/
 

AMA's Role:

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) itself doesn't offer or require medical insurance for riders, and the responsibility for securing such coverage falls on the individual. 

 
AMA Pro Racing's Secondary Coverage:

AMA Pro Racing, the organization responsible for professional motocross, does offer a secondary medical coverage plan called "AMAP Rider Medical" for licensed riders participating in AMA Pro Motocross events. 

 
Primary Coverage:

Despite the secondary coverage, AMA Pro Racing also requires riders to have their own primary medical insurance coverage. 

 
Coverage Details:

The AMAP Rider Medical program provides coverage up to $50,000 for medical bills and $10,000 in accidental death and dismemberment benefits, but it's secondary to the rider's primary insurance and has a $5,000 deductible. 

 
Importance of Primary Insurance:

Organizers of AMA-sanctioned events should consider requiring entrants to provide proof of medical insurance coverage. 

 
Rider Responsibility:
Riders are solely responsible for any unpaid balances after the AMAP Rider Medical coverage has been applied, according to the AMAP Rider Medical Program. 
3
mvd61
Posts
1275
Joined
10/15/2021
Location
Brandon, SD, USA
4/24/2025 4:56am
TeamGreen wrote:

Recently had an MRI by an Ortho group that wins their own machine: $1,162 if paid by ins.

$460 cash. 

JTno$ wrote:
Seems so shady to me.  Insurance companies getting over-billed just hurts the consumer in the long run. They raise premiums year after year, with higher deductibles...

Seems so shady to me.  Insurance companies getting over-billed just hurts the consumer in the long run. They raise premiums year after year, with higher deductibles due to an abundance/high cost in claims. Then they build multi-million dollar buildings/campuses.  Essentially flaunting their extra money to the consumers who struggle to keep their head above water. I believe they had profits of over $85 billion in 2023, with one individual quarter of 2024 almost reaching $40 billion. Biggest scam in America…insurance.

Legalized corporate gambling. 

1
lumpy790
Posts
11546
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC, USA
4/24/2025 7:34am
moto9 wrote:
So, I'm really curious what top pro riders, well...and privateers use for health insurance.How does that work?I know at the amateur level, most use their employees...

So, I'm really curious what top pro riders, well...and privateers use for health insurance.

How does that work?

I know at the amateur level, most use their employees health insurance or on their own in the event of an injury.

But pros and privateers have a much higher risk of catastrophic injuries which can be mind boggling expensive.

An MRI alone can be as much as 10k

So many questions...

Do they have to provide their own?

Is it mandatory for pro racing?

Does feld or the teams cover anything?

Is it a special type of coverage?

Are there any extreme sports coverage limitations?

Are there super high deductibles and or cost limits?

Are there crazy high premiums?

Are privateers basically on their own, after what happened to Jerry Robin and the rider down funding, I'm assuming his coverage had limitations.

Did he have coverage, do any privateers ride without insurance?

Be very interesting to see a full indepth journalistic piece on rider health and accident insurance... Or the lack there of in the sport of sx and mx.

Langhammx wrote:
Here’s some info on your questions-https://mxsportsproracing.com/required-insurancehttps://americanmotorcyclist.com/rider-medical-insurance/ AMA's Role:The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) itself doesn't offer or require medical insurance for riders, and...

Here’s some info on your questions-

https://mxsportsproracing.com/required-insurance

https://americanmotorcyclist.com/rider-medical-insurance/
 

AMA's Role:

The American Motorcyclist Association (AMA) itself doesn't offer or require medical insurance for riders, and the responsibility for securing such coverage falls on the individual. 

 
AMA Pro Racing's Secondary Coverage:

AMA Pro Racing, the organization responsible for professional motocross, does offer a secondary medical coverage plan called "AMAP Rider Medical" for licensed riders participating in AMA Pro Motocross events. 

 
Primary Coverage:

Despite the secondary coverage, AMA Pro Racing also requires riders to have their own primary medical insurance coverage. 

 
Coverage Details:

The AMAP Rider Medical program provides coverage up to $50,000 for medical bills and $10,000 in accidental death and dismemberment benefits, but it's secondary to the rider's primary insurance and has a $5,000 deductible. 

 
Importance of Primary Insurance:

Organizers of AMA-sanctioned events should consider requiring entrants to provide proof of medical insurance coverage. 

 
Rider Responsibility:
Riders are solely responsible for any unpaid balances after the AMAP Rider Medical coverage has been applied, according to the AMAP Rider Medical Program. 

Good information and Thank you for sharing this. 

The Shop

mx 219
Posts
4040
Joined
8/15/2010
Location
South Central, PA, USA
4/24/2025 7:39am
Boomslang wrote:

Why is your guys MRI's so expensive? Top hospitals and Clinics charge around $700 in South Africa...and for us R14,500.00 ($700) is expensive. 

$10,000.00 blows my mind.

Why? Because it's all about the $$$.

I expect some down votes here, IDC. The medical industry is more about the money than it is care and treatment of patients. It's hard to make money from healthy patients.

4
1
lumpy790
Posts
11546
Joined
9/18/2007
Location
York, SC, USA
4/24/2025 7:46am

Add in the Out of network prices with these guys being in a different city every week too.

The on site Alpinestars medical rig and crew that travels race to race is a huge advantage for the riders!

I saw a sales pitch at a RV event where just about everyone there are full time RVers but it offered a insurance plan for a small jet with medical crew to transport the couple back to their home base. 

 

1
KDM711
Posts
76
Joined
5/5/2013
Location
South Jordan, UT, USA
4/24/2025 9:00am
TeamGreen wrote:
Aside from some of the good and solid arguments about health insurance and how it should be provided/provided for…Let’s set all that aside for the moment.I’m...

Aside from some of the good and solid arguments about health insurance and how it should be provided/provided for…

Let’s set all that aside for the moment.

I’m gong to request via my Doc…thus, get him to request a Post-Rehab MRI to see where we’re at come 3-4 months post surgery. If my insurance rejects it? I’ll pay myself…because, here’s what’s at stake…

Me.

It’s my health and I can’t preach the following enough…

As a dude about to hit 62, take the time…spend the money…to take REALLY good care of yourself and fix your broken shit and invest your heart and soul in rehabbing your injuries. Rehabbing you.

Obviously, this would also imply the following…

Prioritize your health/health care better than we…or “you” as in you reading this…prioritize your health better than we normally do or better than we usually do.

It’s so much more important than a new ride or a giant tv or whatever material bullshit we “think” is more important.

Invest in you.

You’re worth it. 

Manny 

Good post, Thanks! Always remember "Health is Wealth" 

Pop Shmoke
Posts
1969
Joined
6/17/2020
Location
Boston, MA, USA
4/24/2025 6:40pm

Ive been thinking about this even more since jerry robin got hurt. I was actually waiting to see if there would be a gofundme going around, cuz there always is one… but I know people have been sharing the road to recovery link for him and donating there. I’m sure hes going to need all the help he can get. Its wild that in the US people have to rely on donations when they get hurt because our healthcare is so shit and so expensive. It seems normal, but in basically the entire rest of the world its not. 

The craziest part is that if youre going to get injured here the best thing that can happen is that it makes the news/national media/social media and people feel bad for you and your go fund me can get more donations. Either that or you get injured by a person or company that has a lot of money so can get you a settlement. If youre just a joe schmoe who blows their back out and nobody hears about it youre basically fuukd. We gotta do better. 

My insurance premiums and deductible have DOUBLED each year for the past 3 years. On top of that things that were getting covered arent anymore so now I’m paying out the ass for medication. They made me hit my deductible in 4 months… And of course my insurance is tied to my job so I cant shop around like I would if they actually had to compete on the free market. Its the worst of both worlds we dont get socialized healthcare and we also cant buy from companies who have to compete in the free market so instead we just get monopolies with super high prices and super shit service… 

3
4/24/2025 9:55pm
Boomslang wrote:

Why is your guys MRI's so expensive? Top hospitals and Clinics charge around $700 in South Africa...and for us R14,500.00 ($700) is expensive. 

$10,000.00 blows my mind.

yak651 wrote:
Because US healthcare sucks. You will get the bill and it’s that much if you pay it but then an insurance company has a different price...

Because US healthcare sucks. You will get the bill and it’s that much if you pay it but then an insurance company has a different price. There is no reason the bills are not like a car mechanic with hourly rates and typical procedures are posted for all to see. People will come on here that have no experience with healthcare in other countries and make excuses for why the US system is superior but it’s truly broken and we are one of the only countries where you can go bankrupt because you became sick or were injured.

I hear that I hv over a million in denied work comp injuries. Regardless of injury everything is pre existing especially back, neck & all joints.  There was a info on hear about a get hurt racing or riding plan but I can’t find it.  The big medical thing now for back injuries is just to inject it. I had countless injections the last 4 yrs. Replacing disk and fusing is a thing of the past. Lack of back & neck surgeons because too many people sued .  They think they should be the same b4 the back injury. Truth is you never will be you hv to learn how to live in pain & be greatfull you can do anything. 

1
4/24/2025 10:11pm

Last time I had time off . I was icing a few body parts & watching a marthon of the greatest wrestlers of the past . Every story ended the same injuries then a spiral into a deep hoke with a pain killer addiction.  I never got addicted but being number 1 has its price . Like drill rig work or especially trucking . If your doing 38-48 hrs straight or even 60 hrs & working 160 hr week . And your doing this 3 + months straight your doing a ton of damage to your body. During c19 I worked 9 1/2 months straight with no day off. I did end up in ER for a day near dead.  In 2 yrs of Chicago 1099 trucks I,m  2 1/2 inches shorter . Plus throw in well ovr a million lbs of hand unloading , slips, falls , always working injured . It is mind bending what the body can take .  But when it catches up to you it’s too late all the damage is done.  No dr will inject 6 body parts because your body can’t take that much medicine. 

2
moto9
Posts
239
Joined
11/11/2016
Location
Waimea, HI, USA
4/25/2025 3:28am

Sad every non 3 world country has national health care.

I've talked to many many Canadians and they all have said it's pretty good.

Most did say there can be a wait time for non emergency surgeries, for instance a knee replacement.

But that's here too, a friend waited 8 months before getting his done.

I blame it on the corrupt government pandering to insurance lobbyist.

 

3
tidman
Posts
17
Joined
3/28/2023
Location
Saint Johns, NL, CA
4/25/2025 3:58am
jaun wrote:

Jesus.

An MRI in Australia is free 

By free you mean paid for with taxes. So, only free if you're not working and not paying taxes. 

They forget that part.

No one in Canada forgets how much we pay in taxes. We pay a fucking ton. That said, as a cancer survivor, I've had 8 chemo rounds, 15 radiation treatments, 2 mris, several cat scans and multiple PET scans as well as a stem cell transplant, which included 2 months in a private room due to immuno-suppression quarantine.  I never waited more than 2 weeks for any scan, because of how they are prioritized. I was bumped a cple time to the next day due to traumas / critical care incidents. I also have a prescription plan through work that covered injections prior to the stem cell transplant that were $2,800 per mg, times 10. Approaching 10yrs in remission, I am much less sour about our taxes now than I was before I was diagnosed. Neither system is perfect, but for what I've been through, I appreciate what we have and glad to still be alive because of it.

2
ando
Posts
4490
Joined
8/20/2009
Location
Perth, AU
4/25/2025 5:13am
jaun wrote:

Jesus.

An MRI in Australia is free 

By free you mean paid for with taxes. So, only free if you're not working and not paying taxes. 

They forget that part.

Difference between living in a society and living in a “society”.

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