Sal Fasano

[ryne100]

Anyway the Brewers can sign him for a couple days this week and gain some major karma going into next season?

 

 

http://sportsillustrated..../09/25/fasano/index.html

[joepepsi]

I wish him and his family well. Maybe he can get a job as a bullpen coach or something next year.

[Invader3K]

Wow, what a heart breaker of a story. Hope things work out for his family, one way or another.

[bigredrobbo]

But, hey, the health system works just fine, and you'd be a liar and a communist to suggest otherwise. C'mon, Doug, make the call - it's not like Kendall's coming back anyway!

[yogallardo43]

That's too bad. At least this is his sons last operation (they think).

[RightFieldCoder]

But, hey, the health system works just fine, and you'd be a liar and a communist to suggest otherwise. C'mon, Doug, make the call - it's not like Kendall's coming back anyway!

He had the option of paying to have health care this year. He declined it, taking a risk he would earn free health care again this year. The other option would be for the government to take that money from him every year in the form of taxes and not give him a choice. I don't think the current system is what is causing the problem.

 

I hope some team brings him up to help him out. But the other thing I think of, is where does that money come from to pay for the healthcare? If the Brewers sign him and bring him up, do they have to pay the $25k for his health care? Or does it come out of a general fund run by the league or the union? I really haven't thought about those extra benefits players recieve and wonder how the system works.

[brosto1]

I feel for the child, but knowing the son had the condition it would have made a lot more sense for the family to do what was needed to pay the $20,000 for continued coverage. He took home more than $150,000 just last year based on his salary and his claim that he paid 46% in taxes. If they could not afford that then they need to look at how they are living.

[joepepsi]

Wow you last two posters are cold.

 

Yeah, for $20K a year under the COBRA plan he could get coverage for up to 18 months. After that, good luck, 'cause with a kid who has a pre-existing condition like this, he'll never get coverage again.

[afeter]

suppan should pay for it

[brosto1]

We are a one income household making half of what Fasano did last year. We will soon have our third child. We have a beautiful house on the water. Just recently we knew that my wife would have two knee surgeries performed to correct a dislocation problem she had had for 25 years. We had to go out of network, but we knew that it might be an option so we budgeted accordingly. We did so by cutting back on the extras while maintaining contributions for our retirement and charities. Having known that their son had the problem, I would think they would have budgeted accordingly since the initial diagnosis and realization that his career was nearing an end. I feel terrible for the child, but I question the decision not to spend the money for the superior coverage. A very sad story.

 

edit-Many states would cover the children through government run programs like BadgerCare, even with pre-existing conditions, after Cobra coverage expires. The government is now subsidizing Cobra coverage. I just had to check with my wife to make sure that that was accurate with BadgerCare; she specializes in government run health care products. I am not sure what MediCaid programs are available for the Fasano family in Illinois, but they do have high risk pools that they should be able to get into.

[dadofandrew]

I read the article twice now, and still cannot comprehend why he didn't pay the $20K...they knew they needed the coverage, and still did not take it, hoping Sal would spend a few days in the bigs.

 

It's like calling with a gutshot straight draw...

[Invader3K]

I'm sorry, but how the hell does anyone here know the Fasano family's spending habits and budget?

 

This thread took a really odd turn fast.

[RightFieldCoder]

If you have continuous coverage, it does not count as "pre-existing" condition. As long as you don't go 30 (or 60, don't remember) days without coverage, it is not considered pre-existing. So him declining COBRA kicked the kid's condition to pre-existing. I have been advised by support groups to always take COBRA if I leave my job to prevent myself from falling into "pre-existing" condition status. I do have to advise that I have never been on COBRA so I do not have personal knowledge of it, only advice from advocacy groups.

[brosto1]

He stated his income last year to be over $300K. I know that he made a guaranteed $425K in 2006. I know he made at least $615K in 2000-1 and $175K in 1998. I know in 2005 they purchased their home for $310K and their property tax was $7,608 in 2008. He has played in 11 major league seasons. He stated that he almost retired before the birth of Santo. If they almost decided to retire it would be logical to believe they had enough money just two years ago. The article stated he kept playing to maintain the excellent coverage provided. I know the coverages provided by numerous insurance companies and the massive claims that they cover entirely. The article stated they live modestly, but it doesn't add up if the health care had been provided previously that they would not pick up Cobra coverage for $20K.

[joepepsi]

I'm sorry, but how the hell does anyone here know the Fasano family's spending habits and budget?

 

This thread took a really odd turn fast.

I agree. There is nothing nice to say about the judgemental tone on the topic. Maybe it's time to shut 'er down?

[DuWayne Steurer]

I'm sorry, but how the hell does anyone here know the Fasano family's spending habits and budget?

 

This thread took a really odd turn fast.

It's in the article.

Entering this season, he had the option of purchasing Cobra health coverage that would run him somewhere around $20,000, but would continue the high-level care. Fasano, whose family lives modestly inMinooka, Ill., says he and Kerri struggled with the decision, before deciding not to go that route. "

I'm not one to judge, but I do wonder, what is "modest", by Fasano's standards? What he's made in the last 3 years is more than what most families that take in about 50K per year will make in 20 years. My family takes in a shade less than that. I'd call our style of living 'modest', and we have a house, a new car, we can go out to eat once a week, and maybe take a vacation once a year.

 

I'm not judging, I'm only questioning the definition of modest in the context.

 

The only thing I can think is that he hasn't been wise with his financial decisions with the money he's already made over his career, but I don't know, that's just a guess.