No One Should Marry Just To Get Health Care

Published: Fri 05 Feb 2010

Mary Banks

It seems to be a Catch-22: You need health insurance in case you get sick but you can't get it unless you're healthy. Seems to make no sense, right? It does to the American healthcare industry.

This scenario is actually being played out on a daily basis across America. People are denied coverage because they have a "pre-existing condition. That is, it's already known they need treatment for an illness or disease.

To some insurance carriers, that's all they need to hear. In an instant they can turn into versions of Seinfeld's infamous Soup Nazi. "No insurance for you!" It's more important to the companies they satisfy their shareholders with hefty profits than approve needed treatments for people because it's the humane thing do.

This issue actually is part of the great debate about health care coverage that drags on in Washington. The president has been pushing for health care coverage without the possibility of being turned down for pre-existing conditions. That has brought insurance industry lobbyists out in droves to fight such an occurrence.

How ironic that the United States is considered one of the superpowers of the world. Yet we don't embrace the idea that all of our people need to be healthy so we stay powerful! We're the only developed country that doesn't provide health care to everyone as long as they live.

People who are turned down for critical coverage would seem to be willing to sell their souls to get the treatments they or their loved ones need. For one woman, she's resorting to practically selling herself to get the care she must have to live.

Teri Carlson, a 45-year-old mother and divorcee, has the rare condition of C4 Complement Deficiency. In layman's terms, she lacks the proteins in her immune system that can protect her from bacteria and viruses. This is not unlike the better-known condition of lupus.

After 24 years as a housewife, a divorce has left her resorting to COBRA coverage offered through her ex-husband's company. With one year left until it expires, she already has been turned down by companies for her own coverage when COBRA expires.

She was left wondering where she would get the money needed to pay for treatments on her own. Her solution? She will marry anyone with a health care plan that will give her coverage she needs. She's even taking inquiries on her Web site, WillMarryForHealthInsurance.com.

How sad! She's willing to sacrifice her own personal happiness so she can live without suffering. It makes you wonder whether many of us will have to resort to the same thing just so we can exist.

To stay competitive and remain a superpower, this situation needs to change in this country. It could be the critical factor that pushes us down into the status of developing nation. Yes, it is possible to go backwards.