AWARE (All Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education): Changing Health Insurance Policy
AWARE (All Wisconsin Alcohol Risk Education) is a UW Health-led coalition to improve the health and safety of Wisconsin residents in the fight against alcohol abuse.
One of the four pillars of the AWARE agenda is prohibiting health insurance companies from denying claims for accident victims who test positive for alcohol/other drugs. Here's why.
Health Insurance Statistics
- When health care insurers deny claims due to drinking and driving, providers still treat the patients but are not compensated. The public ultimately pays for this care through higher premiums.
- An increasing number of states prohibit insurance companies from denying health care coverage.
- When insurance policies deny health care claims due to alcohol or drug use, they unintentionally discourage health care providers from screening patients for addictive disorders.
Action Step
Enact a law to prohibit health insurers from denying coverage to individuals who are injured while OWI.
