WASHINGTON — Venus Williams recently made news as the second-oldest woman to win a tour-level singles match in Washington, a topic we’ve previously discussed here at Bounces.
Following her victory, I found it intriguing to see how her comments about health insurance garnered attention in the healthcare sector. During an on-court interview with Rennae Stubbs, Venus spontaneously mentioned her health insurance situation.
“I came back—I had to come back for the insurance, because they informed me earlier this year I’m on COBRA,” Venus said, laughing as Stubbs joined in on the humor. COBRA, which stands for Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act, offers temporary insurance for individuals no longer covered by their employer’s health plan, often at a higher cost.
Stubbs affirmed her truthfulness, noting they had discussed the topic years prior, emphasizing the difficulty of obtaining insurance. Venus repeated, “I’m on COBRA… I need this insurance,” highlighting her frequent doctor visits.
In her post-match press conference, Venus joked about needing wins to exit COBRA: “I haven’t asked the WTA yet, but I gotta just keep winning until finally my insurance kicks back in.” Her comments revealed the rare and concerning connection between employment and healthcare access in America, even for a millionaire like her.
Her remarks sparked discussions across various media platforms, including ABC and NPR. Senator Bernie Sanders used her situation to advocate for improved healthcare access, questioning what that means for everyday working Americans.
Although Venus can likely cover her medical expenses despite being on COBRA, the reality of high medical bills is daunting for anyone, especially since her past medical struggles, particularly with uterine fibroids, are well-documented.
