Infant Denied Insurance May Get Coverage

Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas announced Sunday that it has "proposed a solution" to the family of a newborn child who was denied health insurance coverage.

Houston Tracy was 10-days-old when Blue Cross Blue Shield denied his family's claim. Tracy was born with a congenital heart defect that caused the two major vessels that carry blood away from the heart to become switched. He underwent surgery to correct the defect shortly after he was born.

Read the story at CBS 11 Dallas.

"He was born with what's called transposition of the great arteries," his father, Doug Tracy, told CBS 11 in Dallas. "It's heart wrenching. I hated it."

"My whole pregnancy was simple, it was easy, no complications, doctor visits were great," Houston's mother, Kim Tracy, said. "Perfect sonograms, great little pictures and then, he wasn't perfect."

The denial came on the heels of Congress' approval of sweeping health care reform that will prevent health insurance companies from denying a claim because of a pre-existing condition.

"They kept saying it's pre-existing, it's pre-existing, but I don't know how it can be pre-existing on a baby that was just born," Doug Tracy, said last week. "If it's mandated that everyone have health insurance, then how can one be denied?"

Legislation passed last week by Congress and signed by President Obama that would end the practice of denying coverage to patients with pre-existing conditions does not go into effect until September.

The Tracys are small business owners and do not carry health insurance for themselves. They do carry insurance on their two other children and tried to get insurance for Houston, but they found out his coverage was denied.

The Tracys fought the decision by Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Texas.

Though no specific details were announced Sunday about the solution, a statement from Blue Cross Blue Shield said the proposal "addresses his and his family's concerns."

Doug Tracy said a deal has been proposed, but not finalized. He is reserving comment.

Read the statement released by Blue Cross Blue Shield of Texas