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Today:
UFC CLARIFIES MEDICAL INSURANCE CLAIMS BY TITO
MMAWeekly. com
In a statement released to MMAWeekly. com on Tuesday night, former UFC light heavyweight champion Tito Ortiz openly discussed his ongoing bout with back problems and his decision to have surgery to repair his back.
"I have made it though the last eight fights by physical therapy, methylprednisolone pills, and spinal injections for my last three fights," he recounted. "I took it upon myself to get surgery in hopes that my fight career will jump back on track and I will be back to the explosive monster I always have been. "
He didn't stop there, however. In his statement, Tito went on to claim that his former employer, the Ultimate Fighting Championship, denied the claims for medical coverage for his back.
"The kicker to this whole story is that the UFC denied my claim for coverage of my debilitating back injury obviously acquired in the Octagon," he said. "After all of the battling, and allegiance I pledged to them, they now have stooped so low as to not give me the medical care I so desperately needed. "
In response to Tito's claims, Zuffa, LLC, the parent company of the UFC, issued a statement clarifying its position as it relates to a fighter's claims for medical coverage when competing for the promotion.
"It has come to the attention of Zuffa, LLC (Zuffa) that Tito Ortiz alleges the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) denied an insurance claim following the UFC 84 event. In light of Mr. Ortiz' inaccurate statements, Zuffa is compelled to set the record straight," read the statement provided to MMAWeekly. com.
Zuffa continued, explaining its position as the purchaser of insurance for the fighters it employs, but added that does not give them authority over a claim made to the insurance company.
"The UFC does not have the authority to deny or approve any insurance claims asserted by UFC athletes. Rather, Zuffa purchases medical insurance coverage for the benefit of fighters at levels significantly higher than those required by state athletic commissions. The decision regarding whether a filed claim is valid and therefore approved is determined exclusively through the standard review process of the insurance company AIG. "
The basic assumption, I think for everyone that signs on to an insurance policy is that - so long as they're up-front and honest about their pre-existing conditions, risk activities, and health, all will be fine and the insurance company bears the burden of proof.
However, for Tito, this basic axiom did not hold true. AIG (which, ironically is going through its own financial fiasco now vis a vis the credit default swap controversy on wall street) has decided that it will not honor its contract.
This is unconscionable. AIG's insurance arm decided that this claim would cover boxers. They were well aware of the risks of boxing, and they did not honor the coverage?! Am I missing something here? Perhaps they even knew that boxing is the highest risk sport imaginable (according to this health insurance industry page, at http://www.medhealthinsurance.com/insurance-for-athletes.htm, 90% of boxers eventually succomb to brain injury, including the dreaded Parkinson's). Yet AIG decided to provide coverage despite this risk. It is their burden to prove. Let's hope they provide a helpful explanation, for Tito's sake.