The union has now secured coverage for former professional basketball players.
The National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) announced new retired NBA players health insurance. Chris Paul, the president of the players union, explained that this was one of his goals.
NBA players who have spent more than three years in the league will receive this health insurance coverage.
John Wallace, a retired player who spent 7 seasons with the NBA – two of which were with the Knicks – said “It’s absolutely awesome.” Wallace added that Executive director of the NBPA, “Michele Roberts really makes life easier for all retired NBA players.” The health insurance program is provided through United Healthcare and contains a spectrum of coverage.
That insurance company is the leading health benefits provider in the United States. This new health plan has become the first of its nature in North American professional sports.
The new NBA players health insurance for those who have retired has been in the works for some time.
According former Knicks player, Charles Oakley, who has been paying for his own health insurance coverage, “We should have done this in the ’70s and ’80s to take care of the players that came before us.”
The proposal currently in the spotlight would offer health insurance plans to retired player who were with the NBA for between three and six years but who don’t yet have Medicare eligibility a plan including coverage for hospital, medical and prescription drugs. Furthermore, the plans will have affordable co-pays, deductibles and other out of pocket expenses.
Players who were with the NBA for between seven and nine years pay less. Their coverage is the same, but their out of pocket costs are lower. Finally, players who were with the NBA for at least a decade will be offered this coverage for their entire families. This new health insurance program will go into effect as of January 1, 2017.
Retired Detroit Pistons player, Rick Mahorn, explained the importance of this new NBA players health insurance. He underscored the fact that the players are given fantastic health care while they’re still on the court. However, “you don’t start feeling the aches and pains until you get older,” he said.
