Why proposed changes to health insurance IS endurance related (LONG)

[Amanda Perez <amandaperez@ureach.com>]

Ummmm... if your insurance company told you that they will not 
pay for any injury you sustain while riding a horse, would that 
effect your participation in endurance riding?  If it would 
not, can you perhaps imagine that it might effect many other 
rider's willingness to participate in endurance?  And you don't 
think this is endurance related?  This is right up there with 
trail closures on the list of policies that threaten the 
sport.  Please not that what is being proposed is not imposing 
higher premiums to endurance riders, it is the right to refuse 
to pay for injuries sustained while riding.  This will force 
riders to purchase riders or supplemental insurance.  Now, 
let's talk a little bit about insurance.  The vast majority to 
regulations designed to guarantee insurance protection (such as 
HIPPA, under which COBRA is provided), apply only to group 
insurance plans provided under the auspices of an employer or 
other 'group'.  There are many fewer protective regulations 
that apply to plans that individuals, who are not part of a 
group which can bargain on their behalf.  This means that 
insurance companies can charge extremely high rates, can impose 
broad restrictions to what is covered and can drop you more or 
less at their convenience.  I speak from experience, having 
tried (briefly) to work as an independent consultant who could 
only get health insurance that cost $500.00, had a $5,000/year 
deductible and covered NO preexisting conditions... and this 
was a state plan offered as 'insurance of last resort'!
  If you still doubt the seriousness of this issue, spend an 
hour or two getting quotes for health coverage that would 
provide you whatever level of protection you'd need to keep you 
in the sport at your current level of activity... THEN let's 
talk.

A.P. -- who has been to insurance and back

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