Domestic violence: one more reason for health care reform

I just received this email from the Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice. I’m embarrassed to admit that I didn’t already know this:

Eight states (Idaho, Mississippi, North Carolina, North Dakota, Oklahoma, South Carolina, South Dakota, and Wyoming) and the District of Columbia allow insurance companies to consider domestic violence a pre-existing condition, a medical issue present prior to obtaining health insurance. Eight of the 16 major insurance companies have used this right to deny coverage to victims of domestic violence.

This is a cruel ruse to increase company profits at the expense of the health and well-being of patients. Although insurance companies can apply this rationale to any condition, the denial of coverage for women who are victims of domestic violence seems especially glaring.

And this should be interesting: Senators Barbara Mikulski, Barbara Boxer, Patty Murray, Mary Landrieu, Debbie Stabenow, Maria Cantwell, Amy Klobuchar, Jeanne Shaheen, Kay Hagan, and Kirsten Gillibrand are slated to appear on Larry King tonight (9:45pm EST on CNN) to discuss gender inequality in the health care system and how it must be addressed in the health care reform debate.

RCRC also has an action on their website where you can send an email to your senator or representative (or, you know, for DC residents, into the ether – no offense, EHN) urging them to eliminate all “pre-existing condition” restrictions on coverage.

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