Even having good health insurance is no guarantee of getting the best health care. Ashlie Hubbard learned this the hard way after the birth of her daughter, who has special needs.
Hubbard and her family are covered by the health plan her husband, Jason, receives from his job as a tractor-trailer salesman. It’s good insurance for the rest of the family but falls short for Emma, 6, who was born with brain abnormalities. Emma has cognitive disabilities, needs help breathing, uses a wheelchair and a feeding tube and requires round-the-clock care. The family’s health insurance offers limited coverage for Emma’s physical therapy and home aide visits but doesn’t cover nursing care. What’s more, when Jason’s employer switched health insurance plans, the family lost access to the only pediatric pulmonologist they trusted, Ashlie said.
