Posts
337
Joined
12/28/2010
Location
Roanoke, VA, USA
Edited Date/Time
1/25/2012 4:20pm
All the IT77 ride day stuff got me wondering, and please don't read any snark into this, but does he have health insurance? Not that if he did it wouldn't make the ride day and raising money still a good cause, just wondering why there is such an outpouring of support on this one, when there are tons of injured/hospitalized riders at any given moment. Does he need the money for medical treatment or just for the expenses of being unable to work for the foreseeable future? Granted the head injury is a big one, and everyone seems to like Ian. Do teams like Rockstar/Suzuki have insurance for their riders or at least require that their riders have their own policies? Riding dirtbikes without health insurance is like skydiving without a parachute in my opinion, and I have a couple friends whose bills agree with me. As expensive as it can get, it's still the deal of the century for a moto rider, Ive given my insurance company a few grand over the last few years and cost them well over 100k.
why is it the greatest country on earth (that's what they say anyway), is the only industrialized national who doesn't provide health insurance for its citizens? Other countries do it quite successfully even in democracy form of governments!
I know of some professionals in other action sports who can't even get covered for insurance due to their occupation. There was a fundraiser for one a few years ago who sustained a severe injury. The system is *$$*ed up!
The Shop
DeCal Works Huge Plastic Inventory of UFO and Polisport kits.
Luxon 4-Post Bar Mounts
$189.95 - $239.95
I don't think the government paying for insurance makes sense, you might as well just cut out the middle man and have health care rolled into taxes, at least that way you don't have the insurance middle man making off with everyone's money. That being said, when I get hurt I I want the best possible medical attention, something a national healthcare system has a harder time offering.
So it's easy to assume even with good medical coverage his out of pocket bills could be very high.
The US already has the world's largest government-provided healthcare program: Medicare. Something along the lines of $400B annually, and steadily outpacing GDP. It's a systemic problem that requires radical changes to remain solvent.
As for riders & racers: don't click the bike into gear without coverage. While the available plans may cause some frustration, you would happily pay 3X the premium if you find yourself needing quality care. My profile pic says it all: $49K in hospital fees, $200 out of pocket.
it took MONTHS of battling for them to pay less than half of what they should have when i got hurt at Red Bud in '98.
*edit
I checked my records and they did indeed pay all what the policy said they would, i do remember it was a bit of a fight though...
Pit Row
Talked to my 65 year old doctor today for a little while about this at the office. He is closing his office soon. He also stated that he has 4 friends that are older (but still practicing) are doing the same. He says he won't play.
looking back, the "fight" to get the money wasn't terrible, just at 20 y.o. it was more than what i was used to and bummed me out on how the world works.... LOL i guess you could say it was one of my first eye openers...
I am an insurance broker in North Carolina and few things about the policies that are for sale here.
1. I have not seen one without a stop loss provision. Say you have an 80/20. You pay your deductible , then 20% only to a predetermined ampount. You don't pay the 20% till the bills stop coming.
2. The kind of intense and lengthy rehab head injury victims go through, especially at the Shepard Center are not always covered forever. Those bills can add up in a hurry.
3. Teggers, the pre existing condition provision doesn't come into play till 2014.
4. Nearly all individual health policies have an exclusion for "organized contests of speed for money".
Any parent who has a child under their roof is an idiot if they don't have health coverage on their kid. Whether it be from outdoor sports activities like mine or other health related issues from sitting on the couch playing xbox day and night.
It's depressing for sure but having to worry about phone calls and debt collectors because I was a dumbass and didn't have my kid covered would be far worse than depressing.
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