Retton Reveals: Why I Couldn’t Afford Health Insurance
TL/DR –
1984 Olympics champion Mary Lou Retton revealed she had no health insurance when she fell gravely ill with pneumonia. Retton was unable to afford insurance due to the cost and her pre-existing conditions, which included a history of over 30 surgeries. A crowdfunding campaign started by her family raised $459,000 to cover her treatment costs.
Mary Lou Retton Hospitalized Without Health Insurance
1984 Olympics champion, Mary Lou Retton was hospitalized due to a rare form of pneumonia. Fans were shocked to learn that Retton, who generated significant wealth from endorsement deals, lacked health insurance. During an interview on the “Today” show, the 55-year-old retired gymnast revealed her inability to afford health insurance.
Retton, with a history of over 30 surgeries and recently divorced, found health insurance too expensive. The gymnast expressed the unpredictable nature of her illness and announced her current coverage. Retton’s lack of insurance led her family to initiate a crowdfunding campaign to cover her treatment costs, raising over $459,000.
Due to her month-long intensive-care unit stay at an unnamed Houston hospital, Retton’s hospital bill was substantial. At one point, her condition became so critical that her four daughters had to bid her goodbye.
Retton’s need for crowdfunding sparked public debate about the state of health care in the US. The question arose as to why a renowned athlete like Retton lacked health insurance. Despite Retton’s daughters’ refusal to comment on their mother’s insurance status, speculation arose about her choice to forego health insurance or her inability to secure coverage.
Her lifestyle also raised eyebrows, given the May 2022 report of her selling a 9,000-square-foot luxury Houston home. Post-discharge, Retton had been staying with her eldest daughter, Shayla Schrepfer. Even though Retton was perceived to afford health insurance, she emphasized that life circumstances can make it challenging to maintain health coverage.
Retton’s predicament reflects the plight of around 10.2% of Americans under 65 without health insurance, as per a 2022 Kaiser Family Foundation study. Yet, the number of uninsured has fallen by 1.5 million from 2019 to 2021, primarily due to COVID-19 policies designed to assist low-income individuals with coverage. Despite these efforts, the cost of coverage remains prohibitively high for many, especially for people of color and low-income working families.
—
Read More Health & Wellness News ; US News