Sports Injuries Can Cost Big Bucks
Posted: April 26, 2016
I have boys. I have boys who play sports which is synonymous with I have spent some time nursing bumps and bruises and worse.
From grade school through high school, millions of children and teenagers play sports and engage in other competitive activities nationwide. Injuries are an inevitable part of these activities, but that doesn’t make getting hurt any less concerning and stressful, for kids and parents alike. Youth sports injuries cost more than parents expect.
Most health plans today are migrating towards larger deductibles, and greater policyholder cost sharing. That means when your child sprains an ankle playing baseball, football, or soccer, the trip to the emergency room for x-rays may leave you with a much bigger medical bill than you expected. The trend may continue to grow as pressure to control premium costs increases.
Parents often overlook the lost income associated with a minor sports related injury. Mom or dad may need to leave work to take their child to the doctor or emergency room. If your child’s injury prevents him or her from returning to school, one of the parents may miss a day of work as well.
Minor Injuries pay for the Policy
A family with children involved in youth sports will invariably encounter an injury of some magnitude that requires medical care. The more kids involved in youth sports, the greater the odds. It’s an unavoidable fact.
A personal accident insurance policy lets families with sports-minded children to use these inevitable injuries to pay for a policy that protects the whole family. Follow this simple example to understand how it works.
- Annual family policy cost – $500
- Pretax savings – $150
- Net after tax annual costs – $350
Let’s imagine that your son sprains his ankle sliding into second base while playing baseball. You take him to the doctor who orders X-rays, and an MRI and concludes it’s a simple sprain requiring crutches, and some follow up physical therapy. Here is how an average policy might pay cash benefits directly to you.
| Minor Accident Example | |
|---|---|
| Covered Benefit | Amount |
| Accident Emergency Treatment | $125 |
| X-ray | $50 |
| MRI | $200 |
| Crutches | $100 |
| Doctor follow up | $50 |
| Ten physical therapy visits | $350 |
| Total | $875 |
One minor child sports injury helps replace any lost income, fills in some health insurance deductible, and covers the premium cost of your policy for more than two years. Some families with sports minded children find themselves using this policy over and over again.
Now that the Financial Impact is Covered, How about Taking Care of that Ankle
If your child does get injured while playing sports, the best treatment plan is R.I.C.E:
Rest
- Do not use the injured area until seen for further evaluation by a physician
- If walking with a limp, have the athlete use crutches
Ice
- Apply ice to the injured area to help decrease pain and swelling
- Use ice 15 – 20 minutes at a time
- Crushed/cubed ice or frozen peas/corn works best, avoid using chemical cold packs
- Always ice for the first 48 – 72 hours after injury
- Never sleep with ice on the injured area
Compression
- Elastic wrap/compression sock should be used to reduce swelling
- Apply wrap beginning below the injured area and wrapping upward
- Always leave toes/fingers exposed
- Watch for numbness, discoloration or temperature changes (loosen wrap if needed)
- Do not sleep with wrap on the injured area
Elevation
- Use gravity to control swelling
- Prop injured area higher than the heart
- Consult your primary care physician for more serious injuries that do not respond to basic first aid.
Click here for additional information about Sports Injuries. Who pays the bills?
