BELLEVUE, Wash. — A Bellevue police officer still recovering from a fall from an overpass while on duty said he’s been kicked off the city health insurance plan.
Officer Kevin Bereta nearly died during an on-duty accident in August of last year.
“Deep down in my heart, I wish I was still at work riding the motorcycle,” Bereta said.
On Aug. 15 of last year, Bereta was assigned to Vice President Kamala Harris' motorcade as part of the security detail during a Seattle visit. Bereta lost control of his bike and fell some 60 feet off an overpass and sustained a life-changing injury.
“I can’t play with my kids like I used to. I can lay on the floor and I’ll play cards with them and that’s about the extent of what I can do. I have to watch them play and all I hear is ‘Daddy, play with me’ and that just kills me,” he said.
This week Bereta learned he’d been kicked of his City of Bellevue insurance. He's exceeded the six months allowed to recover and has not been cleared medically to return for light duty.
“We live in a constant state of stress. For us to have to wake up and that is the new stress that we’re not going to have health insurance for Kevin and our three boys, seems just crazy to me,” said Jenny Bereta, Kevin’s wife.
In a statement to KING 5, The City of Bellevue said they’re operating within terms “negotiated with our unions that are intended to cover typical circumstances,” adding that “The city has a duty to administer our policies consistently.” The statement adds that the city works with injured employees to explore options to prolong benefits, including offering light-duty work as a way to retain health coverage.
“I understand if that’s the policy, then the policy needs to be changed. It’s unfair and this is not something that people in times of crisis – this is not one of the things they should have to be battling,” Jenny Bereta said.
The Beretas and their three children are now paying out of pocket for insurance – several thousand dollars a month. It's the latest challenge for a family that vows to keep fighting.
The Berettas have an attorney advocating on their behalf but at this time have not filed a lawsuit. They’re hoping to settle this situation out of court. Meanwhile, they said they are relying on the kindness of the community, who had raised nearly $20,000 through GoFundMe.