LA Times’ Patt Morrison writes this punchy column on that all-too-common practice of denying potential policyholders based on pre-existing conditions as innocuous as ear infections, varicose veins or mild depression.
My favorite part — when she speaks to an Oregon insurance broker about insuring a “someone” we all know:
“Say there’s a man who wants to switch careers start something on his own. He’s 59, married, four kids, comes to you for health insurance. He smokes cigars. (“Mmmmm,” I heard Luke say.) And he had heart-valve surgery almost 10 years ago.“Luke stopped me right there. The man would never get coverage. I didn’t even get to ask Luke about the risk factors of riding motorcycles and skiing.”
A sidenote: Morrison references this LA Times story from 12/31/06 about the insurer practice of denying coverage.