Please write letters - email your congressman - This isn't just about horseback riding, but ANY recreation deemed dangerous.

Stolen from Freepers:

http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3accc6ce2e23.htm

Federal Agencies Propose Adverse Rules On Health Insurance Coverage ...

Government Editorial News Keywords: INSURANCE COMPANIES, LIMIT COVERAGE Source: The Saddlehorse Report Published: 4/05/2001 Posted on 04/05/2001 12:26:06 PDT by Bill Rice Federal Agencies Propose Adverse Rules On Health Insurance Coverage For Riders

Posted April 5, 2001

Regulations proposed by the Internal Revenue Service, the Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration and the Health Care Financing Administration could affect people who enjoy horseback riding (and other forms of recreation) by permitting health insurers to exclude coverage for injuries resulting from riding and other forms of "dangerous" recreation. While the new proposals state that an employer cannot refuse healthcare coverage to an employee based on participation in recreational activities, they permit health insurers to deny coverage for injuries sustained in connection with such recreational activities, effectively reaching the same result.

The new regulations were jointly issued by the three federal agencies as interim rules, which means they are effective now. But the public has until April 9 to comment on the proposals and such comments will be considered.

These proposed regulations permit exclusions from health insurance coverage based on activities, including horseback riding, that Congress sought to protect. In 1966, Congress passed the Health Insurance Protability and Acountability Act. As we read this Act, it was intended to prohibit health insurers from denying health coverage based on a worker's pre-existing medical condition or participation in legal recreational activities. The legislative history of the Act states that the law "is intended to ensure, among other things, that individuals are not excluded from healthcare coverage due to their participation in activities such as motorcycling, snowmobiling, all-terrain vehicle riding, horseback riding, skiing and other similar activities."

Recreational groups, including the American Horse Council, worked to have that language included in the legislative history of the Act because some employers and insurers were discriminating against recreationalists, leaving them without coverage if they were involved in recreational pursuits. Incidents of discrimination involved the denial of healthcare protection to employees not only involved in illegal activities, like driving a care while intoxicated, but also when involved in legal recreational activities, such as those mentioned above.

While the proposed rules prohibit a person from being denied health insurance coverage simply because he or she engages in riding, they also permit an insurer to exclude benefits for injuries suffered while engaged in such activities. This effectively excludes individuals engaged in such activities.

The AHC will submit comments to the federal agencies in oppotion to this provision. We urge any individual or equine organization to do likewise. Comments must be submitted by April 9 to:

CC:M&SP:RU (REG-109707-97)

Room 5226

Internal Revenue Service, P.O. Box 7604, Ben Franklin Station, Washington, DC 20044

U.S. Department of Labor, Pension and Welfare Benefits Administration, 200 Constitution Avenue NW, Room C-5331 - Attention: Nondiscrimination Comments, Washington, DC 20210

Health Care Financing Administration, Department of Health and Human Services, Attention: HCFA-2022-IFC, P.O. Box 26688 Baltimore, MD 21207

A sample letter follows. Please retype it on your stationary and redraft it to make it as personal as possible. This will give it more weight. Send the same letter to each agency. Do not simply send this memo in to the agency

Dear Sir or Madam:

We are writing in opposition to the nondiscrimination regulations under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) proposed by your agency in January.

Like tens of millions of other Americans we enjoy horseback riding. We participate as follows... Obviously, if we are unable to purchase health insurance that protects us as we participate in this legal activity, it will affect our continued participation.

These rules will affect more than just us. An economic study commissioned by the American Horse Council shows that recretional horseback riding has a $23.8 billion economic impact in the U.S., supports 317,000 jobs and involves 3 million horses. This segment of the American horse industry is growing rapidly. The rules your agency proposes will adversely affect this entire industry.

We support the original Congressional intent of the bill, which is to protect individuals like horseback riders from being discriminated against and denied health insurance coverage simply because they are participating in a legal, recreational activity. We urge you to change the proposed rules to ensure medical coverage, including benefits, for injuries that may occur while riding and engaging in other legal, recreational activities.

Thank you for your consideration.

Sincerely,

-- Anonymous, April 05, 2001

Answers

Good heavens! I can see a little extra premium involved, as there is in life insurance, e.g., if you fly a private plane, but to exclude it altogether? Not a good idea. I mean, I could hit an artery with my sharp little bow saw--some people consider gardening a recreational activity--will I be covered? What about those folks who mess about in their shops and drill a hole in their hand by mistake? Golf? Golfers get hit by lightning all the time. Where does it end?

-- Anonymous, April 05, 2001

Our insurance company sends a form to fill out every time you go to the doctor with any sort of injury. They want to know where it happened, how it happened, did it happen at work, etc.

My standard answer is: tripped over cat.

Stepped on nail? Tripped over cat in kitchen and stepped on nail.

Strained back? Tripped over cat in kitchen, hit floor.

Sprained ankle? Tripped over cat in kitchen, twisted ankle.

Bee sting? Tripped over cat in garden, fell on bee.

Sprained abdominal muscle? Laughed too hard when husband tripped over cat.

-- Anonymous, April 06, 2001

Oh, that's hilarious, because I sprained my ankle when I slipped on some cat upchuck in the kitchen! You should have seen the faces at the emergency doc-in-a-box! Well, they DID ask. But we'd better think of something else, otherwise we'll have to pay extra if we own cats. Tripped over husband? Neighbor? Meter reader?

-- Anonymous, April 06, 2001

Yes, Bandit Cat is FAR too trusting of me. It's only a matter of time.

Remember years ago, small company, company just sprang for disability insurance for us. The adjuster comes for the group interview. We squirming cuz we're not sure how the adjuster will respond to the hobby of one of our employees, a hot air balloonist. Adjuster thought about it for a while and decided it really wasn't a problem. At least it probably wouldn't result in any disabilities. Too likely to be fatal instead.

-- Anonymous, April 06, 2001

I hurt my back while having sex with my wife.

Now, let's see them ban that!

-- Anonymous, April 06, 2001

I am thinking of having anyone that rides my horses sign that they do so at there on risk and will not hold meliable. it is scary out there folks. and what a shame...horses are a good, family type hobbie!

-- Anonymous, April 06, 2001