Who's jumping without health coverage?

[dbattman 0]

Not to be nosy, but I'm curious about the size of the jumping community that is without health coverage. From time to time I hear about how much it costs for an ankle fracture or leg fracture and I'm wondering how many of us are risking financial ruin over this sport. This is my first poll (oops- shouldn't have used that word) so I hope it works.

What type of health coverage do you have?
None
Accident/hospitalization only (private policy)
Full coverage (hospital and doctor-private)
Full coverage (hospital and doctor-private) but doesn't cover skydiving
Full coverage through employer/school
Full coverage through employer/school, but doesn't cover skydiving
Other

[rgoper 0]

i don't, can't obtain it because of my proffesion, and my sky diving activities, they don't like that. i've got personal coverage, and industrial insurance for my business, i've even got personal, and auto coverage. but even at this, none of this insurance covers me for a sprained ankle, i hate it!
Richard
"Gravity Is My Friend"

[lummy 4]

Skydving?? Uh what are you talking about? I fell down a flight of stairs and broke my ankle Sheesh.....
Wha for someone wanna jump outta a perfectly good airplane???
All Seriousness.... If my employer doesn't care about my direct report skateboarding to and from sites, they can cover my medical expenses too
Conjunction Junction, what's your function?

[Muenkel 0]

I am very fortunate, I am covered with both health and life insurance during skydiving.
Such an interesting monster with such an interesting hairdo.
Chris

[Jessica 0]

Quote

Skydving?? Uh what are you talking about? I fell down a flight of stairs and broke my ankle Sheesh.....

Exactly.
Plus I'm a circus clown; that's why I'm wearing this suit.
The door is open
We are way the fuck up here
Might as well get out.
~ FallingMarc

[dove 0]

Quote

Plus I'm a circus clown; that's why I'm wearing this suit.

Now that is freakin' funny!
dove

[SkydiveMonkey 0]

I'm saving my money for jump tickets and trusting the NHS When you participate in sporting events, its not whether you win or you're loose, its how drunk you get.

[skybytch 273]

Quote

Skydving?? Uh what are you talking about? I fell down a flight of stairs and broke my ankle Sheesh.....

This guy I knew dislocated his shoulder on his transition dive from ripcord to throw out (he hung on to the p/c and the bridle wrapped around his arm; yes we never allowed him to live it down). His wife took him to the ER where he insisted that he'd done it falling off a ladder. The doctors didn't believe him of course... but he was worried that his insurance wouldn't pay if he said he'd done it skydiving.
I think I'm pretty lucky - I was very honest with my doctors about my back injury and there was no problem with the insurance company paying for my surgery. pull & flare,
lisa
[subliminal msg]My website Go Now[/subliminal msg]

[msdeva 0]

I have full covergage through work which covers injuries, plus supplemental life through USPA that covers death and serious injuries (such that I could no longer work).
The supplemental is very reasonable - as little as $60 for $25,000 coverage. I went to the max $100,000 - only $240/yr
The best way to predict the future is to invent it.

[Skyrose7 0]

I realize that this is stupid, but I have none. As soon as I graduate from school, I will hopefully be able to afford it. Right now, I am just layin' low--hoping to stay healthy.
The mind is like a parachute--it works better when it is open. JUMP.

[AndyMan 7]

I've always had excellent work insurance, and have specifically phoned and asked about skydiving injuries. I've reviewed all the documention, including the "exclusions". Wether I was with Aetna, or Blue Cross, or whoever, I've alway had coverage.
The only time I jumped without insurance was when I was between jobs. This wasn't a major problem because you can opt-in to COBRA for work plans retro-actively, up to three monthes from the time of termination, I think.
Even when I was living in Canada and jumping in the US, I bought travel medical insurance - extreemely cheaply. It was something like $13 bucks a year covered me for as many 5 day trips I could possibly do.
_Am
ICQ: 5578907
MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com
AIM: andrewdmetcalfe
Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

[NtheSeaOrSky 0]

I was told that only life insurance was affected by extreme sports. Of course if you have a cool doc who used to be an Army Paratrooper Doc, he can disguise most any injury with that coding system they use
Doc: Howd this happen?
Me: whos askin? lol
I'm not stubborn, I'm high-spirited!

[Donna 0]

My husband has coverage for us both through work for health insurance and as far as I know it covers skydiving. We usually try not to say our injuries happened while skydiving though. We don't want them to start thinking maybe they shouldn't be covering it. He broke his finger playing softball... ya that was it and I never said how I got up in that tree to begin with. Also when I fell and trashed my knee while painting at the dz I said I did it at home because I was worried they would look towards the airport or dz's insurance for coverage as my insurance made a big deal about _where_ it happened. Our dz is just a club and I didn't want their rates to go up or anything. My husband has life insurance but I don't know if he's covered for skydiving. He had it long before he started jumping so it wasn't something we asked about. Hopefully we'll never have to find out.
Blue Skies,
D

[Viking 0]

Where do you get health insurance that coveres skydiving??
I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver

[AndyMan 7]

Like I said, I've had PPO insurance from Aetna and currently have PPO from Blue-Cross Blue-Shield of Illinois. They do not exclude skydiving.
_Am
ICQ: 5578907
MSN Messenger: andrewdmetcalfe at hotmail dot com
AIM: andrewdmetcalfe
Yahoo IM: ametcalf_1999

[steve1 5]

I knew a guy who messed up his leg moto-cross racing. He also worked in the woods. His insurance policy only paid off well if he was hurt on the job. So a couple of his friends carried him up into the woods where he was supposed to be falling timber. He then turned in this mysterious injury. Ever wonder why insurance rates are so high?
I used to rodeo without insurance when I was younger. The nice thing about it was that doctors and hospitals didn't charge too much in the olden days. I was single and didn't own too much at the time. I did break a couple different bones and had one ambulance ride and one night in the hospital. I was rough and tough back then and was still able to work in the woods with my arm in a cast (twice). Doing this sort of thing today isn't too bright. I wouldn't do it now. Hospital care today is just too expensive.

[NtheSeaOrSky 0]

Mine is through Partners (division of Blue Cross/Shield). Like I said though, my doctor disguises stuff "just in case". I believe the last one was "struck hand while on vacation" I think Ill keep him!
I'm not stubborn, I'm high-spirited!

[Viking 0]

sounds like a cool guy.
I swear you must have footprints on the back of your helmet - chicagoskydiver

[ECVZZ 0]

You have to be very careful when lying to a healthcare professional about how an injury occured. With a traumatic injury one of the first things that's considered following a primary and secondary patient survey is the mechanism of injury.
I mention this for two reasons. First, if you tell the good Dr. that you caused that Colles fracture (fractured Radius/Ulna with a distinctive "silver spoon" deformity) by tripping over a curb at Mcdonalds he will probably believe you because the injury is consistent with that mechanism of injury.
The danger in this is that the medical personnel may fail to look for additional injuries which may be associated with the real mechanism of injury ( say for instance,a downwind landing with a resultant face skid that left your face intact cosmetically, but with a whiplash from your meat plow impression).
Second, if your insurance frowns on covering injuries from extreme sports (mine will, but they don't like it...they think we shouldn't be having fun to begin with!), then you need to be realistic about what kind of trauma may have caused your injury (i.e., don't tell the Dr. you dislocated your ankle by lifting a 200 lb package the UPS man left in front of your door.)
Most importantly, do not ever...EVER... lie about how a very serious injury was sustained by yourself or someone who is unconcious and can't speak for themselves. Your (or their) recovery may depend on it.

G. Jones
"Why don't they have a light bulb that only shines on things that are worth looking at?"

[Dumpster 0]

As of this moment my health insurance doesn't exclude skydiving or other (pardon the term) "extreme" activities- But I have a feeling they will - and since my employer is self insured, and I am the only jumper in the entire company, and I have pretty much been labled as some kind of deranged lunatic, (cool by me-) You can bet I will take action if and when it does happen-
Wanna buy a duck?

[ChromeBoy 0]

Quote

Who's jumping without health coverage?

I am currently. Of course I have only made about 15 jumps so far this year all without insurance. When I start my new job Monday I will have Full Coverage! Maybe I should try to land that Wing Suit now that I have full coverage!

• Quote

[dbattman 0]

Some of these replies are interesting. For those without coverage (just FYI) contact Blue Cross/Blue Shield in your area. An Accident/Hospitalization policy only runs about $60 a month under 30 years of age. No contract-cancel any time. I had them when I was out of school and taking flying lessons. They didn't care how I got injured, just as long as I wasn't running from the cops or in a plane dropping bombs.
That's right- just 3 jumps a month and you don''t have to worry after that clump of grass bites you when you've got the perfect surf going.

[AggieDave 6]

Quote

Maybe I should try to land that Wing Suit now that I have full coverage!

If you do, besure to get video, what ever happens you could get it on "You've Gotta See This."
A human cannonball, I rise above it all
Up higher then a trapeze, I can fly