Pirate's Cove

These people are shameless

Don’t Let a Sports Injury Keep You Out Of The Game, Get Covered Today

This week, as part of our final push to encourage as many Americans as possible to get covered ahead of the March 31st enrollment deadline, the Administration is launching an effort to reach college basketball fans young and old during March Madness – to remind them of the importance of having quality, affordable insurance.

As part of our effort, today, HHS, in partnership with our President’s Council on Fitness, Sports and Nutrition, is releasing new data looking at the economic costs of common sports injuries like sprains and fractures – costs that underscore the importance of having coverage to protect you financially if you suffer an unexpected injury, whether on the court, on the field, or in your everyday life. According to this new data, nearly 2 million individuals had sports-related injuries that were treated in emergency departments in 2012. The most common of these were ankle or knee sprains and leg fractures. Estimated rates of sports-related injuries were even higher among children and young adults under the age of 25. An estimated 12 million individuals between the ages of 5 and 22 years suffer a sports related injury annually, and about 20 percent of all injury-related emergency room visits are among children 6 to 19 years of age.

For those without health insurance, these injuries—which can happen to anyone, regardless of overall health status—can be very expensive. A sprained ankle, for example, can cost you $2,290, and charges for a broken arm, for example, average nearly $7,700. This can be a huge financial blow to young people and families alike.

The good news is that, at the Health Insurance Marketplace, it’s easy to find quality affordable coverage for those unexpected sports injuries—and for important preventive measures like regular check-ups, immunizations and other screenings.

The good news is that it will still cost your $2,290 for that sprained ankle (seriously? In what world?), and at least $5,081 for that broken arm. A study by HealthPocket Inc. in December found that the average individual deductible for Obamacare’s bronze plan was $5,081 a year, which is 42 percent higher than the average deductible of $3,589 for an individually purchased plan. And all those athletes involved in March Madness have their schools to take care of them.

But, hey, it is good to be covered. You might pull a hammy or whack yourself in the ankle playing yet another round of gold. Or get your mom jeans caught in the sprocket of your bike, causing a spill. Or maybe some whiplash from talking out of both sides of your mouth. Or struck by lightening from lying to the American people on a constant basis.