Two-Year-Old Denied Insurance For Not Weighing Enough
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Updated: 8:20 AM Oct 20, 2009
Two-Year-Old Denied Insurance For Not Weighing Enough
Democrats are expected to continue closed door sessions as they try to finalize a health care reform bill Tuesday. One Colorado family hopes reform comes sooner than later.
Posted: 7:09 AM Oct 20, 2009
Reporter: Eric Lupher,CBS News
Email Address: ELupher@kktv.com
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Democrats are expected to continue closed door sessions as they try to finalize a health care reform bill Tuesday. One Colorado family hopes reform comes sooner than later.

The Bates family lives in Eerie, CO. Two-year-old Aislin Bates has been treated for a gag reflex which affected her eating. Her parents say their insurance company has denied health coverage for their daughter. They say, United Health Care Golden Rule denied coverage because Aislin, at 22 pounds, apparently didn't weigh enough.

"What we want to see is that insurance companies have legitimate reasons for denying coverage," said Aislin's father Rob Bates to KMGH in Denver.

United Health Care Golden Rule says there was more to the decision than just weight issues. A spokesperson told KMGH, "When evaluating height and weight we typically utilize other factors like medical records that show evidence of treatment."

Advocates for the Bates family say the insurance company made a wrong decision. "If I were making the decisions, I think I would certainly cover this child," said Sen. Betty Boyd, a Democrat out of Lakewood, CO.

11 News recently reported on a similar story about a 4-month-old baby boy who was denied health coverage because he was apparently overweight. The insurance company ended up changing their policy regarding some pre-existing conditions.


Latest Comments

Posted by: HAYDEN Location: CS on Oct 21, 2009 at 11:56 AM

THATS THE AMERICAN WAY MAKE MONEY FIRST OVER ALITTLE GIRLS HEALTH .THAT ALMOST SOUNDS LIKE A DEATH PANEL DOESNT IT ? THEY CHOSE NOT TO COVER HER . NO THATS RATIONED HEALTH CARE . PEOPLE WAKE THE FREAKIN UP .ITS NOT A DEMOCRATIC OR REPUBLICAN ISSUE ITS A HUMAN ISSUE .
Posted by: Mike on Oct 21, 2009 at 05:47 AM

Of course Insurance (capital I here) companies only want to insure healthy people. They are companies whose objective is to maximize profit. They essentially invest in people, and they try to pick the best (healthiest) investments. If you buy stock in an insurance company you expect them to do this, if they did not, then you would not invest in them.
Posted by: Anonymous on Oct 20, 2009 at 08:23 AM

You already can't get coverage if your sick...pre-exsisting condition. If you have anything wrong with you they will offer you coverage at a higher rate and will exclude everything about your issue for 1 year or longer. It is a sick, sick game!
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