Medical insurance and MTB injuries

Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?

Thanks, Matthew

 

"Mateo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance
plans?

Nope. Biking is considered an "extreme" sport with high risk of injury.

- CA-G

Can-Am Girls Kick Ass!

 

Mateo wrote:
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?

Yes.

Bill "what did you do? " S.

 

Mateo wrote:

> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

Yes.

Over the past.....(thinking here)... 8 years our family's health insurance has covered multiple sets
of x-rays and stitches, tetanus shots, and surgical repairs of a separated shoulder and fractured
wrist, all mtb-related.

All things considered, it's probably a bargain for the insurance company
- our families have a history of heart and lung disease, depression, obesity and diabetes, all of
which have been held at bay by our choice of recreational activity.

Kathleen

 

Mateo wrote:
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

Mine have been. Now the problem is GETTING insurance. I need to switch because the COBRA plan I'm on
is going to run out. Blue Cross won't talk to me until I've been done with treatment and medication
for at least a year. Bastards!

Matt

 

One of my duties is handling employee benefits.
It depends on your carrier and your plan document. Some underwriters exclude sports and or activities that are considered to have forseeeable inherent risk such as auto ,racing ,skiing etc.

 

Mateo retorted :
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

probably depends on the plan, but I've never heard of one that would exclude things. That's more
common for life insurance, where there will be exclusions for skydiving and certain other high risk
activities. ( yes we read it)

Yes for mine, I've never had a plan ( in 20 years of having coverage ) that excluded
injuries related to certain sports, and I'm one of those weirdos that actually reads the
manual cover to cover.

I am annoyed that the nitrogen treatment for my son's warts is considered Outpatient Surgery and
applies to the deductible, but I guess that's balanced out by the $10 copay for therapeutic massage.

Penny

 

In news:[email protected],
Mateo <[email protected]> typed:
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

Mine covered me at the time of my broken elbow. The immediately paid thousands to the hospital with
no question. They balked at a $50 charge for my family doctor to replace the dressing. My suggestion
is to read the fine print or contact your insurance company. Maybe a supplimental coverage program
may be available.

Mike

 

Michael Dart retorted :
> In news:[email protected], Mateo <[email protected]> typed:
>> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>>
>> Thanks, Matthew
>
> Mine covered me at the time of my broken elbow. The immediately paid thousands to the hospital
> with no question. They balked at a $50 charge for my family doctor to replace the dressing. My
> suggestion is to read the fine print or contact your insurance company. Maybe a supplimental
> coverage program may be available.
>
> Mike

yes, we've had a broken elbow covered ( biking) dislocated shoulder ( skiing) and other things too,
no questions asked.

Penny

 

"Mateo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance
plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

Mine's covered me but it's always been for minor stuff. I know Sorni has used his and if you saw the
infamous Miles Cliff Diving video from New Year's Day, he was also covered.

In the grand scheme of things, if the insurance beancounters sat down and looked at the numbers,
they probably pay WAY more to repair knees blown out during football, soccer (or football for the
rest of the world), Basketball and even baseball/softball games. The numbers of people participating
in those not so extreme sports far outnumber the people who may break a bone on the MTB.

Michael

 

Mateo wrote:
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

For now.

 

Michael Paul retorted :
> "Mateo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
> news:[email protected]...
>> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>>
>> Thanks, Matthew
>
> Mine's covered me but it's always been for minor stuff. I know Sorni has used his and if you saw
> the infamous Miles Cliff Diving video from New Year's Day, he was also covered.
>
> In the grand scheme of things, if the insurance beancounters sat down and looked at the numbers,
> they probably pay WAY more to repair knees blown out during football, soccer (or football for
> the rest of the world), Basketball and even baseball/softball games. The numbers of people
> participating in those not so extreme sports far outnumber the people who may break a bone on
> the MTB.
>
> Michael

or how about ER visits for cold and flu? I have a relative that does that, even with good
coverage....

Penny

 

"Mateo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance
plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

I've never heard of mountain biking related injuries/conditions not being covered by medical
insurance in the US. I've never heard of it even being a question in medical insurance. Like Penny
said, it seems more of an issue with Life Insurance. Like with her skydiving example, it falls into
the high risk or extreme sports category. Although there are companies out there who have no such
stipulations (including for skydiving - I've had to check on that).

My medical insurance (between Blue Cross and Kaiser) has never been an issue with injuries related
to either skydiving or mountain biking. Dislocated shoulders, broken bones, lacerations and
stitches, sprains, tendonitis, Lyme disease (related, but not an injury) or whatever else.

But it probably does depend on the insurance provider/coverage. For Blue Cross and Kaiser anyway,
they don't seem to care.

--

FlyingCoyote

--

 

> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?

Mountain bike? Who said anything about a mountain bike?

 

Mateo wrote:
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew7

Damn straight it is! And I should know, about 9 hrs in the ER and a few dozen x-ray/c-scans, not to
mention the drugs Cost me $70 co-pay ($35 for each ER)
--
Slacker

 

On 19 Feb 2004 07:54:23 -0800, [email protected] (Mateo) wrote:

>Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>

My broken shoulder, twisted knee, and cut shin were. <G>

Barry

 

"Michael Dart" <[email protected]> had this to say
news:[email protected]ews1.newsguy.com

> In news:[email protected], Mateo <[email protected]> typed:
>> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>>
>> Thanks, Matthew
>
> Mine covered me at the time of my broken elbow. The immediately paid thousands to the hospital
> with no question. They balked at a $50 charge for my family doctor to replace the dressing. My
> suggestion is to read the fine print or contact your insurance company. Maybe a supplimental
> coverage program may be available.
>
> Mike

AFLAK....AFLAK
>

 

"FlyingCoyote" <[email protected]> wrote:
> "Mateo" <[email protected]> wrote:
> > Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance plans?
>
> I've never heard of mountain biking related injuries/conditions not being covered by medical
> insurance in the US. I've never heard of it even being a question in medical insurance.

I *have* heard of it being a question. I wish I could remember exactly the source, but I *think*
it came from my former employer's insurance provider (FirstHealth). They were considering (IIRC)
instituting either a special deductable or an outright exclusion of injuries incurred by
participants of a list of "high-risk" sports like mtb, downhill skiing, skydiving, rock
climbing, etc.

But my memory is cloudy and indistinct. I blame the 80s.

Point is, the insurance people of the world survive by reducing their exposure to risk. Once they
decide that some activity or behavior is risky, they will measure the risk in terms of dollars per
year, and then figure out how to pass that risk-cost on to their customers (us).

> [clip]... But it probably does depend on the insurance provider/coverage. For Blue Cross and
> Kaiser anyway, they don't seem to care.

I think this is really the key. In the USA, where we have no universal health care, and no will to
demand such, all of us are subject to the fine print on the contracts written by our insurers. It is
prudent to either read the fine print, or call your insurer's customer disservice department and
demand to know their policy (and know where it is stated in writing, or get it stated in writing).

FWIW, the last noteworthy mtb accident I suffered, shoulder dislocation in January of '03, I was
covered (thank goodness). Now that I've been "promoted to customer" by my former employer, I'm on my
wife's insurance. We checked with them to confirm that my "habit" was covered. If her insurer had a
policy to exlude mtb accidents, I would have bought major medical coverage and paid whatever it cost
to confirm that I was covered for mtb accidents.

Because they happen. And in our fully-private, expensive-as-the-dickens system of healthcare, having
a non-trivial uncovered accident can ruin a family's financial world.
--
Tom "hold my beer and watch this" Purvis
Salida, CO

 

"Mateo" <[email protected]> wrote in message
news:[email protected]...
> Are mountain biking injuries normally covered under US medical insurance
plans?
>
> Thanks, Matthew

Some coverage is cut off at "racing," so if you're doing an organized race, then you probably
want to state that you were riding your bike and you fell, if you simply have to divulge what you
were doing.

--
Phil, Squid-in-Training

 

FWIW, my medical insurance has no exclusions, even motor racing, unless it's done PROFESSIONALLY. In
other words, I can buy a race car and drive it on Friday and Saturday nights at the local tracks, as
long as it's not my primary income. If I quit my day job and race full time, I need new medical
insurance.

Statistically, which is how insurance companies view nearly everything, I'm probably more likely to
get seriously maimed in my wood shop or by my lawn mower, than I am on a bicycle, skis, or flying a
private plane.

On the other hand, my life insurance has three (3) specifically stated exclusions. The exclusions
are; hang gliding, ultralight piloting, and skydiving.

One of my coworkers is a hang glider pilot learning to fly ultra lights. He gets cheesed because my
family is protected when I fly a small, FAA registered aircraft, but his isn't when he flies his
ultralight.

I'd go with what other posters said, and if you crash the mountain bike, tell the medical folks "I
fell off my bike". <G>

Barry