Women in the United States who have been raped could find themselves without insurance. When a woman goes through the rape examine she is tested for HIV. That test could give an insurance company a reason to decline her in the future.
When a person could be exposed to HIV an insurance company can claim that they have a pre-existing condition. The company can deny coverage for years even if the person tests HIV negative.
Rape is a horrible crime to begin with. Add in the fact that a victim could lose their insurance because of the assault should be criminal. According to a Huffington Post Investigative Fund's citizen journalism project it was found that not only HIV testing can be a block for rape victims when it comes to insurance. Some companies also use post traumatic stress disorder as a way around insuring the victims.
America's Health Insurance Plans spokeswoman Susan Pisano told the
Huffington Post:
"These issues you are bringing up, they deserve to be brought up," said Pisano. "People who have experienced rape and sexual assault are victims and we want them to be in a system where everyone is covered."
This policy can make it even harder for the medical field to get victims tested. If assault victims know that reporting their crime could lead to their insurance being cancelled it could cause a new barrier.
As Diana Faugno, a forensic nurse in California and board director of End Violence Against Women International says:
"What are we supposed to tell women now? Well, I guess you have a choice - you can risk your health insurance or you can risk AIDS. Go ahead and choose."
Email this
Share on Facebook
Apple suing Samsung over patent infringement
Listen
Print
Social Comments ()
Digital Journal Comments
