Question
What is the name of your state? New Mexico
I'm trying to help my sister with a health insurance problem she's having... I hope someone here can help please.
My sister lives in New Mexico and has no health insurance... her job provides no health insurance so she's trying to get some privately. The only company she's found so far (that she can afford) however requires her to specify race for each person to be covered, they say so they can determine what medical tests/procedures will be covered. She is 1/2 black and 1/2 white, her husband is 1/2 white and 1/2 hispanic... and they have a child who is, obviously, all of the above. This company says that she must specify just ONE race for each person covered.
Is this legal?
I've tried searching for answers online, but I'm not having any luck.
Answer
What is the name of your state? New Mexico
I'm trying to help my sister with a health insurance problem she's having... I hope someone here can help please.
My sister lives in New Mexico and has no health insurance... her job provides no health insurance so she's trying to get some privately. The only company she's found so far (that she can afford) however requires her to specify race for each person to be covered, they say so they can determine what medical tests/procedures will be covered. She is 1/2 black and 1/2 white, her husband is 1/2 white and 1/2 hispanic... and they have a child who is, obviously, all of the above. This company says that she must specify just ONE race for each person covered.
Is this legal?
I've tried searching for answers online, but I'm not having any luck.
My response:
There is nothing illegal about race. Race is directly related to specific health matters; e.g., Blacks have some different health matters than Whites. It's not "racial", it's a matter of "health".
For example, did you know that "sickle cell anemia" is strictly a Black aiment?
IAAL
Answer
I do understand that certain races have certain disease are specific to certain races, I don't dispute that. But can a health insurance company refuse to cover you if you don't tell them what you are? Wouldn't that be a form of discrimination? And if not, how is she supposed to specify ONE race when everyone in her family is more than one?
Answer
They are not discriminating against you by asking an applicant to provide race, they are simply attempting to determine what medical care you might receive.
Re requiring one answer to the race question, what did the insurance company say when you called and asked them about it?
Answer
It's not discrimination if they ask the question of all applicants and don't single out one group to ask about. They're not treating anyone differently because of their race.
Answer
When she asked them about choosing a race even though they're all multi-racial she was told it's not their problem and she has to chose only one.
I guess my confusion is that they are saying they will only cover certain tests for certain races... so if she chooses hispanic, and then develops sickle cell, she isn't covered.
Oh well... it doesn't make sense to me... but I'm not well versed in the law... there's probably a LOT I don't understand.
Thanks.