In the early days of the global pandemic, delaying the bar exam was an obvious step. One that a lot of states refused to take with dangerous consequences, but an obvious step nonetheless. The country was in crisis mode and examinees needed to know that whatever happened, a July bar exam wasn’t something they needed to worry about.
But as we learned more about the nature of the pandemic it became clear that a modest delay wasn’t going to cut it. Some states tried to run the test online and only ended up with further delays. As state bar examiners scramble mostly aimlessly to try and get anything together that resembles the test they’ve staked their jobs upon, examinees are dealing with the fallout of these slapdash efforts.
One consequence of the repeated delays out there that those in positions of authority may not be tracking is the health crisis they’re creating for examinees. Twitter user Emily C. Smith recently shared her story on the platform and while her tale manages to have a relatively positive resolution, it’s impossible to believe that she’s alone in this:
Smith notes that UCLA Law was supportive throughout this ordeal, but that the school is ultimately tied to the greater university. Which is in turn tied to the health insurance contracts it signed. The slow motion tragedy of the American health insurance regime is one of deadlines and a lack of accountability.
It’s a great question. Anyone who defends privatized health insurance based on the “choice” it provides based on a grasp of economics drawn from the back of an Ayn Rand placemat has clearly never dealt with insurance companies. Not even the guy who crafted the idea of health insurance “choice” believes it’s a “choice.” Insurance companies tell you they’ll only cover you on the first and that they’ll drop you on the 23rd and you just have to deal with it. There isn’t much incentive to provide real service because they know you don’t really have a choice but to accept what they give you.
We have officially entered the era of health coverage by social media influencer ranking! Let’s pat ourselves on the back.
Since this story is almost certainly not unique and there are people out there about to take more hits with increased delays and some law firms still pushing off start dates — not to mention the high likelihood that the next round of online exams will also crash — this is apparently the secret to getting your basic human needs covered. So start working on your clever hashtags and start @ing your health insurance providers!
Joe Patrice is a senior editor at Above the Law and co-host of Thinking Like A Lawyer. Feel free to email any tips, questions, or comments. Follow him on Twitter if you’re interested in law, politics, and a healthy dose of college sports news. Joe also serves as a Managing Director at RPN Executive Search.