Letter to the Editor

The Following Letter to Editor has appeared in the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and the Kansas City Star:

My husband, Ivan, is the bravest and most determined man I know. He was in a near-fatal accident almost two years ago. After several surgeries to save his right leg, it was amputated below the knee. A titanium rod replaced his femur above the knee.

Ivan works in construction. His employer saved his job for him for the seven months it took him to rehabilitate himself. He wears a below-the-knee prosthetic.

He worked hard to be able to go back to work and do the same job he has always done — and he succeeded! But now our future is unclear.

In return for premiums paid for health insurance, we consumers expect to be covered for catastrophic injury or illness. Sadly, without legislation to ensure coverage, many private health insurance providers (including our own) have decided to severely limit or completely deny coverage for prosthetic limbs.

Arms and legs are not a luxury! They are a necessity to lead a productive life. I have contacted my legislators to try to push for a bill to ensure prosthetic coverage without unreasonable limitations. I urge others to do the same. Hard-working people deserve the right to be able to work to support themselves and their families.

Teri Burgener, Republic, Mo.