Mary Lou Retton's health insurance explanation sparks some mental gymnastics

[Jilly_in_VA]

Former Olympic gymnast Mary Lou Retton spoke out last week on the NBC Today show about what she said was a rare pneumonia that almost killed her and resulted in an expensive, monthlong hospital stay.

It was a shocking reveal. One key comment jumped out for those who follow health policy: Retton said she was uninsured, blaming that lack of coverage on 30 orthopedic surgeries that count as "preexisting conditions," a divorce and her poor finances.

"I just couldn't afford it," Retton told host Hoda Kotb, who did not challenge the assertion.

Retton, who after winning the gold medal in 1984 became a well-known figure — "America's sweetheart," appearing on Wheaties boxes and claiming a variety of other endorsements — did not provide details of her income, the illness, the hospital where she was treated or the type of insurance she was seeking, so it's hard to nail down specifics.

Nonetheless, her situation can be informative because the reasons she cited for not buying coverage — preexisting conditions and cost — are among the things the Affordable Care Act directly addresses.

https://www.npr.org/sections/health-shots/2024/01/12/1224435556/mary-lou-rettons-health-insurance-explanation-sparks-some-mental-gymnastics

It's entirely possible that she either fell into some gap, or had poor advice.

[Shermann]

1. The ACA reformed pre-existing conditions, so that's a bit of a head-scratcher for me. nt

[Jilly_in_VA]

2. Tead the article

That's all I can tell you.

[Freethinker65]

3. As long as she had no gap in coverage, loss of coverage due to a divorce is a qualifying event for the ACA.

Bet she self insured (no insurance by choice, pay as you go, think of the savings by NOT paying premiums until...oops, I need coverage) or was in one of those religious self funded non-regulated community health pools (you know, that won't pay for icky things like birth control or mental health/addiction issues).

With no proof of being previously covered in recently lost policy, but instead a history of self pay until the going got tough, she may very well have found available policies on the open market pretty pricy. Even so, there are high risk pools, and she was an idiot not to get into one even if it cost her tens of thousands/year.

Absolutely no sympathy for her. And now she gets extra media attention. Will she go on a paid speaking tour now to pay back the funds she grifted?

[PJMcK]

4. There is another explanation

Perhaps she made stupid choices and decisions about her life.

[TexasTowelie]

6. She dated a member of the Phi Delta Theta fraternity at Southwestern University

while I was a student during the mid 1980s. Considering the rumors that I heard about the fraternity, I would agree that she made stupid choices. I had only four friends in the fraternity during my time as a student and a couple years afterward. I've had no contact with two of those friends over the years, but remain in contact with two others and I can say with 99.44% certainty that all four are Trump voters.

[keithbvadu2]

5. Don't worry. Trump will sign a new plan in two weeks. Cheaper, better.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

7. Mary Lou Retton is a Trump supporter that doesn't believe in Obamacare

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