Colorado health insurer finds flaw, now to cover babies of any weight
A Colorado health insurer is reversing its decision not to cover a baby because he was too fat, following nationwide media attention given to the matter.
Rocky Mountain Health Plans announced it found a flaw in its underwriting system and will now provide coverage to healthy infants, no matter their weight, according to the Denver Post.
The insurer made news after it denied coverage for four-month-old Alex Lange, who weighs 17 pounds. When Lange’s parents, Bernie and Kelli Lange wanted to change their coverage to a less expensive option, they were rebuffed by Rocky Mountain Health Plans, which cited their son’s weight.
Following the rejection, the Langes appeared on local and national TV shows, using Alex’s situation to illustrate their perceived issues with the current health care system.
Bernie Lange, a local newscaster, told the newspaper he was glad the publicity “opened some eyes to a flawed system,” adding that Rocky Mountain’s president and CEO called him personally to inform the family they would cover Alex.
A spokesman for the insurer told the Post that as a small company, “we were able to act quickly and decisively” and that it is “pleased” to cover Alex and “other healthy babies.”


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