Even top athletes like Venus Williams face challenges with health insurance

Why did Venus Williams return to the court at the Mbadara City DC Open this week after a year-long hiatus? Well, she candidly shared, “I had to come back for insurance.” In a playful moment during her on-court interview after winning her first round match on Tuesday, she added, “I started training, thinking, ‘I could benefit from my own benefits!'”

This caused genuine laughter in the stadium. “You know what it’s like!” she said, engaging the crowd.

Even if you’re not a grand slam champion or the oldest player to win a professional women’s singles match in decades, you might relate to Williams’ remarks about juggling health insurance.

Here are four challenges facing not just Williams, but many Americans navigating the US health insurance system.

1. Her employment status is unique.

In the US, many people receive health insurance through their jobs, with employers partly covering the costs, while employees pay the rest through deductions. When someone steps away from a regular job, like Williams did to take a break from competition, they often lose access to employer-sponsored insurance.

Williams highlighted that the WTA provides excellent global medical, dental, and vision plans, but players must meet specific rankings and event participation requirements to maintain coverage. After taking time off, she was informed early this year that she had entered Cobra, a provision that allows individuals to keep their employer-based coverage for a limited time after leaving a job, but at full cost.

“With Cobra, you might have a good plan, but your healthcare expenses can skyrocket,” noted Miranda Yaber, a professor of health policy. Cobra insurance can easily surpass $500 per month and may equal mortgage payments.

While Williams is financially secure, the costs still present a challenge similar to that of many average Americans, especially given that she’s accustomed to superior health plans.

2. She has specific medical needs.

“I’m always at the doctor; I absolutely need this insurance,” Williams stated in a courtside interview. Recently, she discussed her health struggles, including surgery for fibroids, a condition she has battled for years. Additionally, she was diagnosed with Sjogren’s syndrome in 2011, an autoimmune condition.

As a professional athlete, her needs for physical therapy and specialized care add further complexity to her health insurance situation. Moreover, being 45, she faces higher insurance premiums that often come with age and existing health conditions.

All these factors mean finding the right health plan is much more complicated for her compared to most people.

3. She has more options today than before.

If we rewind to before the Affordable Care Act, Williams would have faced significantly tougher circumstances. Professional athletes were often labeled as “unqualified occupations” for health insurance, making coverage hard to secure, regardless of their wealth.

This situation led to “job lock,” where individuals remained in jobs solely to retain their health insurance. Thankfully, if she decides not to compete anymore, and after her Cobra coverage expires, she can browse options on Healthcare.gov for affordable care plans.

4. In the US, employment and health insurance are intricately linked.

In the United States, health insurance is closely tied to employment dynamics. As Yaber explained, the prevalent US insurance model is employer-sponsored, which gained traction in the aftermath of World War II as a strategy to attract employees in a tight job market.

Even public insurance like Medicaid, aimed at low-income individuals, is increasingly linked to work requirements, impacting primarily middle-aged, low-income women.

Williams’ fluctuating job status due to the risk of injury turns employer-based health insurance into quite a complex issue for her. Yet, her fans can take heart: they’ll be able to see her play again, even if it’s partially driven by health insurance considerations. She is set to compete in upcoming tournaments in Cincinnati next month.