The National Basketball Players Association announced today it will now fund health insurance for retired NBA players with three or more years of service.
Player representatives all voted during the NBPA Summer Meeting in New York on June 26th to make this change, the first of its kind among North American Professional Sports.
“The game has never before been more popular, and all the players in our league today recognize that we’re only in this position because of the hard work and dedication of the men who came before us”, NBPA President Chris Paul said in the release. “It’s important that we take care of our entire extended NBA family, and I’m proud of my fellow players for taking this unprecedented step to ensure the health and well-being of our predecessors”.
The average career of an NBA player currently sits just above the four-year mark, something the league aims to increase for future generations. Numerous former NBA players have suffered from poor health since retiring, leading the NBPA to institute various initiatives such as Cardiac Screening Programs to help aid in the process. The problem is, some players cannot afford health care.
The NBPA’s Cardiac Screening Program also recently reached a total of five cities, while hitting a mark of testing 100 former players.
With the NBPA’s latest groundbreaking change, heart screenings will now be free for players with 3+ years of experience in the league, something that’ll be beneficial to many.
