Jesus.
John Mathson had been paying about $550 a month to continue his health insurance coverage after the 63-year-old Eureka man got laid off in October after 39 years at the Evergreen Pulp mill.
For Mathson, who is undergoing chemotherapy for non-Hodgkin lymphoma and had knee surgery in September, the news got worse last week. The mill, which shut down, informed him it could no longer afford to offer health or welfare programs to any employees or retirees as of Jan. 1.
Oh, and guess what. Now allergies are a pre-existing condition.
At 31, Jessica Palmer is young enough that she would seem to be a prime candidate for an individual health policy that's cheaper than her former employer's $400 monthly COBRA payment.
But the Emeryville resident, who was laid off Oct. 30 from her position as marketing coordinator for online art retailer Art.com Inc., has allergies. Her allergies, which are not life threatening but are controlled by injections and medications, mean Palmer will pay more or be rejected entirely.
Yes, God forbid a 31 year old with allergies try to get health insurance. The gall of some people thinking they deserve to live past 30.
