My son was denied health insurance!!!!!

[Little Panda RN]

I just really need to vent. My son is a truck driver and over the last few years he has put on some weight. He knows he needs to lose the extra weight and he is trying to do so. He is 6' 4" and weights 318 pounds.

He recently was offered insurance through the company he works for and the insurance company denied coverage due to his Height/Weight. That is exactly what it says "coverage denied due to Height/Weight".

Now I am sorry but he is only 23 years old, it is not like he has been over wieght all his life. But since he is now considered obese he is not elligble for health coverage. This is a crock if you ask me:angryfire. What has our health care come too? Pretty soon insurance companies will be dropping those from their policys due to being overweight.

I am just so overwhelmed by this! What is my son to do now? He is trying to lose the weight, he is a wonderful young man, trying to make an honest living but is unable to get healthcare coverage.

I wish I had all the money in world so no one would ever have to be turned down for the healthcare that they deserve. I am so saddened to think that he may have to go the rest of his life without insurance.

What is a mother to do! Sad, Sad, day.

[jeolsz]

Being the wife of a Truck Driver this issue is very close to home. I was under the impression that providing access to preventative care was a way to reduce the cost of health insurance. Taking care of a problem when its small is the difference between a $200 procedure, that may be easily paid and one that costs thousands of dollars that may not be paid at all. I thought that because people were using the ER as their primary treatment center was part of the reason for increased insurance premiums and high wait times. This would be avoided if those people had regular health insurance.

Since I have actually gone truck driving with my husband I can say that of the truck stops Ive gone to none contain gyms or workout rooms and I have never seen a truck driver jog around the stop or his truck either, being that they are not always the safest places and showers must be paid for. Plus keep in mind they don't always get the luxary of sleeping at a truck stop. Many times you have to sleep on the side of a road or freeway which have no amenities (ie: bathrooms)

Yes, they choose this job but you should have a little compassion and think about their sacrafice the next time you eat that healthy salad, watch tv, or use toilette paper.

I agree that prevention is key in keeping down the cost of healthcare.. Many of you are under the impression that going to a gym or distance running are the only means of keeping in shape.. A simple walk, stetching, such as in Yoga, resistance bands ( they are very portable).. not smoking, drinking alcohol excessively and eating fruits, vegetables and whole grains are key to prevention of many diseases.

I know where most of you are coming from, as I was living a very unhealthy lifestyle, and was making excuses everyday why I couldn't exersize or quit smoking.. too much stress in my daily life, no time, etc. But if you can equate daily exersize with eating and breathing and realize how important it is, you can find the time. It is priceless.

By the way, since your husband drives a truck also, is he 100lbs overweight?

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

I agree that prevention is key in keeping down the cost of healthcare.. Many of you are under the impression that going to a gym or distance running are the only means of keeping in shape..

Uhhh..you're talking to nurses here. Why are you assuming we know less than you about healthy lifestyles?

With conditions such as morbid obesity, the road to improved health usually begins at the doctor's office. There may be sequelae, such as HTN or cardiac issues. You don't tell someone to 'just go exercise' until you get those issues somewhat under control enough for them to be able to exercise in the first place. Taking away someone's insurance coverage does not facilitate that, and it doesn't promote health. If it did, the uninsured would have a lower mortality rate than the insured.

[TAB_RN]

This conversation is really getting ridiculous. First off, not every truck driver is a long haul truck driver. This 23 year old may not be at all. People that drive trucks can pack a cooler of food. It is not a job that requires no choices.

Second, America is becoming fatter and fatter. The 23 year old man in this conversation has a bmi of 37.7! That is not overweight, that is morbidly obese and can carry a pretty long line of health issues. We live in a world where cardiac disease is the number one killer. Obesity raises that risk as well as diabetes, stroke, etc. This should be a wake up call for this young man. 23 is WAY too young to start racking up this kind of medical bill. The insurance company is also probably looking at this job as yet another risk factor to his health. I would be incredibly concerned if my son (who is 18) had a bmi that high. I would find a way to turn that around with him.

As for health insurance, I live in a Massachusetts, which requires every breathing person over the age of 18 health insurance. Although I think it stinks that people don't have a choice to be covered, I do think it is helping make up for the billions racked up from the uninsured. If you don't have coverage, you get severely penalized at tax year end. These insurance companies deny because they are losing money. Maybe this isn't the answer to the problem, but if everyone carried health insurance, then maybe less people would be denied, and the premiums wouldn't be so outrageous.

[TAB_RN]

Uhhh..you're talking to nurses here. Why are you assuming we know less than you about healthy lifestyles?

With conditions such as morbid obesity, the road to improved health usually begins at the doctor's office. There may be sequelae, such as HTN or cardiac issues. You don't tell someone to 'just go exercise' until you get those issues somewhat under control enough for them to be able to exercise in the first place. Taking away someone's insurance coverage does not facilitate that, and it doesn't promote health. If it did, the uninsured would have a lower mortality rate than the insured.

I don't agree with you totally here. Many people feel they can control their symptoms with a pill. Many people also do not want to exercise because it is work and it is hard.

Insurance does not promote a healthier lifestyle. Discipline does and change does. We all know what we have to do to make healthy changes to our lives. We live in a world where convenience is more important than health. It is truly sad.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

Insurance does not promote a healthier lifestyle. Discipline does and change does.

I believe all of the above promote health. Having insurance positively correlates with better health than not having insurance. No one is arguing against discipline or change. They're just saying that options are much more limited for truck drivers than other workers, and that if one is going to offer ideas for health improvement for this group, it should be something that they can actually do. In the meantime, treating sequelae such as type 2 diabetes, HTN, etc. saves lives. At least then they are able to enter the system and get the individualized education they need by medical professionals.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

This conversation is really getting ridiculous.

I don't find this conversation ridiculous at all. I'm glad that nurses are discussing the issues that this population faces.

[TAB_RN]

I don't find this conversation ridiculous at all. I'm glad that nurses are discussing the issues that this population faces.

It's quite ridiculous to think that a 23 year old has "no" options as a truck driver to be healthy. That is absolutely ridiculous!

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

It's quite ridiculous to think that a 23 year old has "no" options as a truck driver to be healthy. That is absolutely ridiculous!

no one said he has no options. But some of the options given aren't very realistic, given their work environment.

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

Here are some articles that discuss some of the things that employers are implementing for their truck-driving workforce:

http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2007-07-09-2934654272_x.htm

http://ezinearticles.com/?Truck-Driver-Jobs---One-Of-Americas-Most-Unhealthy-Professions-Gets-Revamped&id=642803

http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_qn4176/is_20070715/ai_n19371473/pg_2

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/408160/homemade_meals_for_truck_drivers.html

http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2007/Jul/12/poll-65-of-truckersrate-health-fair-poor/

All of these implementations have been proven to work, and none of them include denying insurance.

[jeolsz]

no one said he has no options. But some of the options given aren't very realistic, given their work environment.

I did look at some of the acticles you posted links to and I liked the picture in the first acticle that shows a driver lifting free weights.. That's exactly what I have been talking about.. If he can do it so can others.. If a 23 years old can't safely take a walk with endangering himself, then he shouldn't be driving a potentially lethal weapon.. Most employers have mandatory yearly physicals, especially where public safety is concerned and if there are risks I'm guessing they addressed.. Independent contractors probably are another story, however it would be in the public's best interest to make sure they are healthy enough to handle a large truck... And I don't think its unreasonable to carry fresh fruit or granola bars for snacks

[HM2VikingRN, RN]

I think that there is just a little bit of fat discrimination going on here.

As someone who has struggled with weight issues throughout life I think it is simplistic and wrong to say that lifestyle changes will fix everything. There are people who are heavier who are perfectly capable of running a 5 k or swimming 1500 yards with a BMI over 25.

Undoubtedly there are no easy answers but denying care to the overweight or smokers because of a "preexisting" condition will not lead to decreased health care costs. If anything it will lead to increased cost for society. (One of the strongest arguments for UHC is its emphasis on prevention oriented activities as an integral part of the health care system.) We need to make it easier for people to engage in prevention oriented activities not more difficult.

Why not offer tax breaks to employers for providing employee fitness centers on site?

Make gym membership dues fully deductible from taxes.

Make the 20 dollar health club discount a standard insurance plan item for all policies.

Support life long fitness in school phy ed programs and INCREASED phy ed time for kids.

The point of this is that we need to build systems that support healthy change. (Pointing finger and shaming people for being overweight gets in the way of change. Punishment suppresses behavior. Praise increases behavior.)

[BBFRN, BSN, PhD]

I think that there is just a little bit of fat discrimination going on here.

As someone who has struggled with weight issues throughout life I think it is simplistic and wrong to say that lifestyle changes will fix everything. There are people who are heavier who are perfectly capable of running a 5 k or swimming 1500 yards with a BMI over 25.

Undoubtedly there are no easy answers but denying care to the overweight or smokers because of a "preexisting" condition will not lead to decreased health care costs. If anything it will lead to increased cost for society. (One of the strongest arguments for UHC is its emphasis on prevention oriented activities as an integral part of the health care system.) We need to make it easier for people to engage in prevention oriented activities not more difficult.

Why not offer tax breaks to employers for providing employee fitness centers on site?

Make gym membership dues fully deductible from taxes.

Make the 20 dollar health club discount a standard insurance plan item for all policies.

Support life long fitness in school phy ed programs and INCREASED phy ed time for kids.

The point of this is that we need to build systems that support healthy change. (Pointing finger and shaming people for being overweight gets in the way of change. Punishment suppresses behavior. Praise increases behavior.)

Thank you- ITA!