Just when you thought health insurance companies couldn’t get any scummier, it appears that in nine states and the District of Columbia, insurance companies have categorized domestic violence as a “preexisting condition.”
Domestic violence is a strong predictor of increased use of health care services. That makes sense. Insurance companies understand there’s a good chance that a woman who’s knocked around today will seek treatment for a broken bone tomorrow. Aaaaand you know what that means…
Amanda Marcotte discusses some of the unintended consequences of this sort of policy.
Obviously, the major one is that the fear of losing insurance coverage might drive victims to avoid reaching out for help, and it may even mean that they don’t get treatment for their injuries after an abusive incident. And of course, the less a woman reaches out for help, the less likely she is to get out of the situation.
Just a little collateral damage in the psychopathic insurance industry’s single-minded quest to amass and hold on to money. Health insurance companies need to be sent to the non-existent death panels.
I’m still fuming after Sarah sent this to us over the weekend. Way to blame the victim, health insurance companies! Way to ensure that domestic violence remains underreported and unprosecuted!
I know health insurance companies get off on punishing people for things they can’t control and didn’t invite into their lives, but Christ on a cracker this is fucked up.
This literally made me weep, clutching a kitty to my chest and mourning all those women who must keep silent so their children can get pediatrics for their coughs, chills, and check ups.
Everyone knows that insurance companies are motherless scum fucks that add no value to the health care equation, but this is beyond stunning.
Yeah, I saw this on Jessica Valenti’s facebook page over the weekend. I was beyond infuriated. Took action via her link to contact my representatives, etc etc but it seems so small and probably quite futile.
Not to MENTION, but domestic violence can DEVELOP over a period of years and is NOT A DIAGNOSABLE disease…DV victims are likely to present with mental health issues, random assorted symptoms and the occasional broken bone. It usually takes doctors ASKING to get someone to admit to being a DV victim…now, its not even worth it to doctors to screen for DV, if the insurance companies won’t pay for needed, often trauma-related, treatment. They have got to be fucking kidding.
You know what the kids are saying — life is a pre existing condition.
Oh my fucking god. I was eating dinner when I read this and I literally stopped moving for a second, broccoli half-chewed and fork in the air. How utterly scummy and disgusting.
But it’s working for you, right? We have the best health…blah blah blah…
Not only is this inhumane, it is illogical. I am too angry to write more than that. Gah.
Oh, no. No no no no no. This is not okay.