Sparkplug 45

Unlike “Strobe Light” madness (which is strangely enough also the title of a great song by the B-52s, by the way), this week's Sparkplug addresses an issue that is rarely talked about in motocross: health insurance.

I used to be involved in the life insurance industry and my current job is in the healthcare industry, however this is not meant to suggest that I'm an expert on these matters, just that I some idea of what's going on in both industries. One of the things that used to trouble me about life insurance was the fact that many people tend to believe they have no need to buy the product for their loved ones... and then the unthinkable happens, a child dies, and they have to scrape up money to cover the expenses of an unexpected funeral. Actually, this scenario still troubles me today. I have seen too many “memorial” car washes and t-shirt sales campaigns in Southern California held for the sole purpose of raising a few thousand dollars to pay for the burial expenses of a poor family's deceased teenager. It's heartbreaking, and considering the low cost of life insurance for minors, mostly unneccessay had a little foresight been used.

So, what does this have to do with motocross? Like many motocross fans, I have been moved by the plights of our fallen riders, most recently James “The Outlaw” Marshall and Ernesto “Fonzie” Fonseca. I recently took a day off work to attend a benefit “Outlaw Ride Day” held at Glen Helen Raceway, the proceeds of which were being given to Marshall's family to help them deal with the costs of healthcare related to his terrible injury suffered at the San Diego supercross. Truth be told, it was a fun and inspirational day, and I was happy to donate a little money to his cause. But it made me question why such an event was necessary in the first place. How is it possible that a professional athlete not be covered by adequate health insurance in 2006?

My first question, for which I have admittedly not searched for an answer, is what is the AMA's position on health insurance for their professionally-licensed racers? I also read that Live Nation donated $25,000 to Marshall's fund, which leads to my second and third questions: Is Live Nation prepared to make similar donations to every under-insured racer's family should they be injured at one of their events? And wouldn't funding a comprehensive group health insurance package for all riders be a better idea? I am glad that they made the donation, but it makes me wonder if it was a big-hearted gesture or a corporate CYA maneuver...

It's no secret that the healthcare industry hates motorcycles, but just in case you have trouble comprehending that fact, I will repeat it again: the healthcare industry hates motorcycles. The “other” AMA, the America Medical Association, has a long record of opposing motorcycles and motorcycle sport. And they're joined by the mainstream media, Hollywood, and the professional “safety” lobby... all of whom help influence the insurance industry's dim view of our sport. Which means that IF the insurance underwriters even see fit to offer an insurance product for racers, it will be at astronomically high premium costs.

Which really shouldn't be surprising, considering the ridiculous cost of healthcare... a collusive, vicious circle to be sure, but it's a plain fact. And being a fact, that means we simply have to deal with it. That means racers need to pay for health insurance... or not race.

This is a decision that thousands of amateur racers face every day. A good friend of mine who lives in the San Diego area has actually stopped racing because of the cost of health insurance... and health care. A simple motocross injury would be financially challenging for him; a serious setback would be financially devastating.

Now, not all riders are in the same boat. Ernesto Fonseca suffered a terrible injury as well, yet there were no calls for donations and no benefit rides held in his name (here is the latest news on Fonseca, courtesy Racer X Online). The assumption is that as a factory rider, he had his health insurance needs taken care of. That certainly would be fitting, but this just points to the severe differences between being a “true” professional racer and a privateer. Factory sponsored or not, a “true” professional should make sure he has the tools, training and other essentials necessary to do the job. In a dangerous sport such as motocross, sufficient health insurance is essential. This is not meant to suggest that only pro racers overlook this important need. How many professional oil rig workers are underinsured? How many coal miners are underinsured? How many construction professionals are underinsured? Probably more than we know.

But how does our sport compare to other professional sports? We often take some pride in the fact that our sport has the lowest barrier to entry, cost-wise, than almost any other motorsport. Obviously, this only takes the cost of equipment into consideration. Yet, can you even imagine an injured NASCAR driver having to hold a fundraiser to pay for their healthcare expenses? Maybe it has actually happened, but I really doubt it. [Update: my friend FLVet from Motodrive tells me: "If I'm not mistaken the AMA will let you race a pro event with just their $25,000 policy. It has happened in NASCAR. They raised monies for Ernie Irvin when he had that bad crash that left him with an $850,000 bill plus rehab to pay for. Yes he had insurance as well. The NFL insures all it's players through NFL Wokers Comp if they get hurt in a game or practice. It's an on the job injury."]

Motocross has come a long way, but until the industry seriously addresses this health insurance issue, we might as well admit that our sport is still in its infancy. Racing with insufficient health insurance, even at the amateur level, is simply irresponsible. At the professional level it is inexcusable and I believe the organizations that sanction professional races should be held accountable for this issue.