Who wouldn’t love a happy, healthy baby with chubby cheeks and adorable baby fat that makes him squeezably soft?
Apparently, Rocky Mountain Health Plans doesn’t? Deemed “too fat” to insure, the company sites that little Alex Lange is obese. At a whopping 17 pounds, which doesn’t really seem that big for a baby, he becomes probably the youngest person to be denied health insurance, like many other uninsured but otherwise healthy Americans forced to live without health insurance under our current system. He’s only four months old and already has a preexisting condition–obesity!
Somebody’s got some explaining to do!
According to the company, it’s not personal–just policy. They say that Alex’s weight and height (25 inches) put him in the 99th percentile for weight. It is against their policy to insure anyone above the 95% percentile, no matter how healthy.
Is there a baby gym anywhere?
I could see the family having difficulty getting insurance if he was born with some sort of birth defect, was born premature or developed some sort of illness in his short little life. But, to site obesity as a pre-existing condition is absurd. What about those record-setting babies that tipped the scale at 18 and 20 pounds at birth! Were they denied health insurance as well? If you ask me, I think Alex should be given some slack, since he can’t really hit the gym or a treadmill, and his pediatrician verifies that he is in good health. But just in case one of his family members is reading this or you find that your baby has a little too much baby fat, you might want to consider baby toys that encourage play time and exercise, like this activity mat. Think of it a pint-sized personal gym for babies.
Kudos for having a heart
Thank goodness there is a happy ending. Because of the media attention this story has received and the national healthcare debate, Rocky Mountain Health Plans is now providing coverage for little Alex. I guess they realize that some decisions can’t be based solely on the numbers game.
What do you think about this whole situation? Chime in with your comments below.
