That’s how much this broken arm you see above is going to cost Beau “OMA” Taylor to fix. Why? Because he – like many, many fighters – has absolutely no health insurance.
I’m not here to post an opinion about the state of America’s healthcare or how much access is available to the average MMA fighter. What I will say, however, is that regardless of what impediments exist to obtaining health insurance, fighters without such coverage are endangering their career. MMA is a sport where injuries are not only common, but expected. Limbs are hyper extended, faces are punched, legs are kicked, and noses are broken. Experiencing and treating injuries is just as much a part of training as drilling armbars from the guard. To not have some kind of insurance – either promotionally sponsored or via private funding like COBRA – is negligent. Yes, funds are tight. I recognize the limited wallets of many fighters reduce disposable income. But injuries – either the singularly serious or the accumulation of many – can affect a fighters’ career and ability to fight.
It’s easy to look at the MMA organizations and ask why they aren’t doing more. I’m not sure its the most fair question, though, unless you’re the UFC. The IFL provides insurance, but that’s got to come at a heavy price. If corporate America is dumping employer provided healthcare, I doubt a fledgling MMA organization is going to be free of the same financial pressures. The truth is that, ultimately, fighters must designate some of their funds for health coverage. It’s tempting to say it’s too expensive to provide your own coverage, but that’s narrow, short-term thinking that sooner or later will result in a broken arm and a bill for $14k.
About the author
