UFC To Expand Health Insurance To Include Pre-Existing Conditions

The UFC will expand the health insurance it extended to its fighters last year to include pre-existing injuries and conditions, a decision that the company says will increase premiums it pays for the approximately 400 fighters it employs globally by about 60%. UFC Chair Lorenzo Fertitta and President Dana White will inform employees of the change today when the company kicks off a two-day Fighter Summit in Las Vegas. White did not reveal how much the sanctioning body pays for insurance, other than to say it was upward of $1M.

This is the fourth annual Fighter Summit for the UFC, which uses the event predominately to educate its athletes on the sort of matters other sporting bodies address with their annual rookie symposiums. The two-day event also will include presentations on financial planning, drug use and social media use. Among the speakers is Pro Football HOFer Michael Irvin, who will speak to fighters about mistakes he made during his playing career.

For more, see today's issue of THE DAILY.