Editorial: Senate bill isn’t fair to public

Friday, March 9, 2001 | 8:54 a.m.

Insurance companies have come up with a clever way to increase their profits at the expense of the public. Their effort comes in the guise of Senate Bill 131, which is now before the Nevada Legislature. The bill would allow insurance companies to offer individuals limited health insurance plans that would exclude gynecological and obstetrical services, diabetes, substance abuse, contraceptives and mastectomies.

One reason we join unions and women's organizations in opposition to this bill is that individuals who purchase such plans could develop health problems, only to find out they lack the proper medical coverage because they purchased a limited policy. As noted by Mar Monte of Planned Parenthood, 75 percent of women's health issues are gynecological related. SB131 is bad for consumers because individuals who require hospitalization for conditions not covered by their health plans are sure to get stuck with large bills they will be unable to pay. If the hospitals absorb some of those costs, they are sure to pass those on to other consumers.

Another compelling argument against the bill is that individuals with alcohol or drug abuse problems, but no health coverage for those maladies, could end up costing taxpayers when they need to be treated. They could also run afoul of the law because they allowed their substance abuse to get out of hand rather than seek treatment under a qualified health care plan.

There is also the possibility that by creating limited health care plans for some individuals, the cost to cover everyone else could go up. At a time when Nevada lawmakers need to figure out how to lower the state's high rate of uninsured residents, legislation such as SB131 goes in the wrong direction.