[lopushok]

I need a little guidance from my fellow kendoka to help me fight my health insurance company. Here's the deal:

After faithfully, and wisely, I might add, approving my "gym reimbursement" claims for my kendo practice for the past few years, my health insurance company (which will as yet go unnamed) recently denied my latest claim, stating that the company doesn't cover "martial arts programs." The reimbursement program is basically an incentive for people to work out at the gym or do other "cardiovascular" activities at least 50 times in a six-month period.

I just reviewed the membership summary, and it says NOTHING about not reimbursing martial arts per se. Here's what it says:

"Type of Service - General: We will partially reimburse the subscriber and the subscriber's covered spouse for certain exercise facility fees or membership fees but only if such fees paid to facilities which maintain equipment and programs that promote cardiovascular wellness."

As you can imagine, I'm pretty baffled and miffed, and plan to fight this all the way, even if for the principle of it. It's like they get into the habit of saying no, just to see if you'll put up a fight. Well, I intend to.

So, I just wanted to ask my fellow kendoka to send me some links to reliable references on the cardiovascular benefits of kendo, so that I can use it as part of my written appeal to my health insurance company. The more scientific and/or official the source, the better obviously. I would prefer not to give these guys ANY wiggle room to weasle out of their commitment.