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The White House wants professional video gamers to get health insurance

The White House wants professional video gamers to get health insurance

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Because sitting all day is actually pretty dangerous

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For President Obama's ambitious health care overhaul to work, lots of young people need to sign up for coverage. Reaching those teens can be tricky, but the administration knows what's hip to the youth. Today the White House unveiled a new awareness campaign aimed at the growing audience for professional video gaming, or e-sports. The pitch is being supported by big industry names like ESL and Twitch and features a YouTube video with well-known competitors discussing their own struggles to find health insurance and deal with the devastating injuries joystick jockeys and their fans can suffer.

"He’s not a doctor person in general."

Anna Prosser-Robinson tells the tale of her husband, Geoff Robinson, better known on the e-sports circuit as iNcontroL. Two years he awoke with unbearable pain in his legs. At the hospital the couple learned it was a blood clot, which, if left untreated, could lead to a severe stroke or even death. Luckily the clot was spotted in time, but recovery required medication and months of medical visits. "A huge shift for him, as he’s not a doctor person in general," Prosser wrote of the incident.

"Clots are caused by time, not necessarily fitness."

Luckily the couple had health insurance and were not bankrupted by the extended medical care. Now they are on a mission to help other gamers live well. "We’ve been sharing his experience in hopes that we will inspire other gamers and people with jobs that require long periods of sitting, to take steps to alleviate the health risks they face," Prosser wrote. You don't even need to exercise! "Be sure to get up, walk around, and stretch every couple hours, as these clots are caused by time, not necessarily fitness."

Just because your day job doesn't involve leaving your bedroom doesn't mean you can skimp on health care, ok? And the more young people who sign up, the better the new system, currently overloaded with the elderly, works for everyone.