Baby Denied Health Insurance Because Underweight

People should ask why this doesn't happen to fashion models, as they are frequently underweight. Recently, a baby was denied insurance because it was overweight, according to the insurance company, anyway. Here's an example in the other direction: a baby denied insurance because it is underweight.

Aislin Bates weighed 6 pounds, 6 ounces at birth, and now weighs 22 pounds at 2 years of age. However, she's become a "poster child" for insurance reform.

When Aislin's father, Rob, worked for another company, she was covered under the company’s group health insurance plan, but now he is self-employed and finding insurance coverage for Aislin hard to come by.

Aislin's mother, Rachel Bates said:

"She's perfectly healthy, yet she has become a statistic. There's no reason for her to be a statistic as a non-insured person."

The insurance company in question, United Healthcard's Golden Rule, sent the family a letter, which said, in part, "We are unable to provide coverage for Aislin because her height and weight do not meet our company standards."

The company added, however, that "When evaluating height and weight, we typically utilize other factors as well in making a decision, such as medical records that show evidence of treatment or any underlying medical conditions." In this case, Aislin is undergoing treatment for an active gag reflex. The family states she will only require therapy for a few more months.

In the prior case, a 4-month-old boy, Alex Lange, was denied health insurance coverage because, at 17 pounds, he was considered overweight. In that case, Rocky Mountain Health Plans changed its policy; it now says it won't consider obesity a pre-existing condition barring coverage for larger infants.