how do US professional runners (like at least sub 2:16 marathoner types) get health insurance?

Mom and Dad help pay.

Former 2:14 wrote:

Mom and Dad help pay.

yes, but once you're over 26 yrs old in this country (USA), you're basically out of luck with health insurance if you cant be part of a group plan.

Mommy and daddy would have to pay a fortune to cover an elite runner child's surgery for example.

Umm...what's your point?

My parents paid, I believe, 150-200 bucks a month (in that range) for my health insurance when I was 27 and 28.

Buy a policy?

Former 2:14 wrote:

My parents paid, I believe, 150-200 bucks a month (in that range) for my health insurance when I was 27 and 28.

how were they able to do that if you're not part of a group plan? Wont you be denied for pre existing conditions?

Work for a running store? I think some stores give their employees health insurance.

Azaleas wrote:

Work for a running store? I think some stores give their employees health insurance.

dont you have to work 35-40hrs/week minimum?

i know companies like Whole Foods, REI & Starbucks will give part-time employees health benefits?

haha YO (super cereal) wrote:

how were they able to do that if you're not part of a group plan? Wont you be denied for pre existing conditions?

Only if you have a pre-existing condition bad enough to get you denied. For example, my Crohn's disease prevents me from buying my own insurance. So I'm uninsured. I'm not an elite, just giving an example.

Most companies have a points rating system. Every pre-existing condition you have gets a point value. If you exceed the point limit, no insurance for you.

Yes, you are correct. If a sub 2:16 guy doesn't have a sponsorship, he needs an alternative source of income to pay for rent and health insurance or he doesn't have a place to live or health insurance.

neanderthal dream wrote:

haha YO (super cereal) wrote:

how were they able to do that if you're not part of a group plan? Wont you be denied for pre existing conditions?

Only if you have a pre-existing condition bad enough to get you denied. For example, my Crohn's disease prevents me from buying my own insurance. So I'm uninsured. I'm not an elite, just giving an example.

Most companies have a points rating system. Every pre-existing condition you have gets a point value. If you exceed the point limit, no insurance for you.

Yes, and if as an elite runner youve visited a few runner docs before, you're not going to be able to buy health insurance on your own.

Te reality is that an elite marathoner is likely to need far more medical attention than a generally healthy person who runs say 20 miles a week or who works out 5 days a week 30 minutes a day. Taxing your body on a regular basis like elite runners do leads to far increased medical attention, as a group. There are of course always outliers. Insurance companies must know that while runnnig 120 miles a week will make you healthier in many regards, it makes many sonewhat less healthy or at least needing more medical attention, in other regards.

neanderthal dream wrote:

Only if you have a pre-existing condition bad enough to get you denied. For example, my Crohn's disease prevents me from buying my own insurance. So I'm uninsured. I'm not an elite, just giving an example.

Most companies have a points rating system. Every pre-existing condition you have gets a point value. If you exceed the point limit, no insurance for you.

Remind me again why you Americans think this is an acceptable system.

unless you are ranked top 3 by usa track and field you as a professional athlete have to pay for your own health insurance, and i know many professionals that are paid by selected shoe companies but don't make enough to pay for health insurance. the system is very flawed. It would make sense that if you run for a shoe company say NIKE that they would set up a group plan that allows their athletes to be covered but the reality of the situation is that they are considered individual contractors and have to fend for them selves. And the best runners/ rupp/ flannagan are the ones that make enough to be able to afford health insurance but they don't even have to pay for it because USATF pays for it because they are ranked. so the middle and bottom tear athletes who make an ok salary 20-35k a year are really just left with nothing. yes something should be done by the shoe companies or the American health systems to make it easier to be covered.

Many of us in the US do not think this is an acceptable system at all. There is strong, if not majority, support for a full coverage government run health care system. We have the worst of all possible worlds; we get all the bureaucracy created by the insurance companies, and with terrible overall coverage.

we do suck in many regards.

G_D

Move to Canada

You don't need health insurance to get medical care.

Bobby1 wrote:

You don't need health insurance to get medical care.

Yeah, but then you have to pay an Ortho $400 out of pocket for him/her to see you for only 5minutes.

HEY!!!!!!!!!! Stop using my fvcking name.