Some Blog Site

We received a mass mailing from our health insurance company. Okay, we did not receive it – it was addressed to my wife. But it wasn’t a letter; it was a large brochure/folded-postcard-type thingy that anyone could read.

It was a generic announcement that said “If a baby could be in your future” then you should call their program, as they can answer questions and make sure that the mom and baby are off to a good start, health-care wise. Enroll in our free program, it said, and get this information and that information and access to such-and-such, etc.

What caught my attention was the disclaimer.

For those who can’t read the text: it says “This information has been sent to all female plan members in your age group in order to make them aware of the program. By sending this mailing, we are not implying that you are pregnant or intend to become pregnant.”

I know pregnancy is a discreet subject. If you think someone might be pregnant, you don’t usually start on that topic. But I think this disclaimer goes a little overboard. Why do the people at the health insurance company think they need this footnote?

Maybe they had too many complaints from women who definitely did not want to be pregnant and wanted to make sure they knew that as well. But this is a tiny disclaimer that would not likely be noticed by those who would take the whole flyer the wrong way anyway.

Maybe they did have some legal action against them, and this legal-looking disclaimer might be a good way of thwarting other future legal actions.

Maybe they had some calls from irate husbands, demanding “What do you know that I don’t?” or something. But I think that’s not likely.

I know – I’ll complain that they didn’t send me a flyer too! After all, their program “offers helpful tips for dads”. I’m a dad – why wasn’t I notified of this program that can offer me helpful tips? Why are they discriminating against me? Just because of my gender? I demand equal treatment! I demand equal rights!

No, I don’t really want to be included in female-specific mailings. I just thought I would worry a few corporate policy and disclaimer producers over there for fun.

“One of the lawyers said to Him in reply, ‘Teacher, when You say this, You insult us too.’ ”
– Luke 11:45