Too fat? Too skinny? Colo. girl denied insurance
DENVER • First a Colorado infant was refused health insurance for being too fat. Now a Colorado family says they can't find insurance for their toddler daughter because she's too skinny.
Two-year-old Aislin Bates, of Erie, weighs just 22 pounds. Her parents, Rob and Rachel Bates, say she's healthy but a picky eater.
They say the girl has been rejected by at least one insurer for weighing too little, despite a note from Aislin's doctor saying she's in good health.
The skinny toddler was mentioned on the floor of the U.S. Senate Wednesday. Democratic Sen. Michael Bennet cited the girl and the chubby infant as examples of "absurd and unfair" insurance policies that must be changed.
He said the young patients' rejections reminded him of "The Story of the Three Bears" and Goldilocks.
"It looks like you have to be 'just right' to get insurance, even if you're an infant," Bennet argued.
The Bates couple did not return calls from The Associated Press. Rachel Bates told KMGH-TV she was "floored" by the rejection from Golden Rule Insurance Co., which is part of insurer UnitedHealth Group Inc.
A spokeswoman for the insurer did not return a call. Ellen Laden told the station the company would not comment on the Bates case but that it was standing by the rejection.
The Bates have said the girl has been in therapy for a gag reflex disorder but haven't elaborated.
The toddler's rejection for insurance recalled a similar case made public earlier this month. In that case, a pudgy 4-month-old boy was rejected by a separate insurer for being too fat.
After the rejection of little Alex Lange made headlines, the insurer changed course and said it would no longer consider obesity a "pre-existing condition" barring coverage for otherwise healthy infants.
