Paralympian with one leg reveals health insurance thought he was ‘dangerously’ underweight

A former Paralympian who only has one leg has recounted the hilarious moment his insurance company sent a nurse to his house because his weight is ‘dangerously low’ for his height — after failing to take into account his missing limb. 

Josh Sundquist, 37, from Santa Monica, California, got plenty of laughs from his social media followers when he shared video of himself balanced on his right leg in his closet and looking confused. 

‘When my health insurance company sent a nurse to my house because my body weight is “dangerously low for my height,”‘ the comedian wrote in the on-screen text.  

Former Paralympian Josh Sundquist, 37, from Santa Monica, California, revealed his health insurance sent a nurse to his house because his body weigh is ‘dangerously low’ for his height 

The comedian got plenty of laughs from his social media followers when he shared a video of himself looking confused

‘Apparently I got flagged in their computer system as “potentially malnourished.” I was like um, I think we can agree there’s a better explanation,’ he explained in the caption

The video has been viewed more than 1.5 million times on TikTok since it was posted on March 17, and it has gotten nearly as many likes on Instagram. 

In a follow-up clip, Sundquist detailed the conversation he had with the nurse, recalling how she showed up at his door with a printout from the computer system that stated he is ‘potentially malnourished.’  

‘Apparently the artificial intelligence in the computer saw this very dangerous weight-to-height ratio and sent someone to my house,’ he said. ‘But the computer system was unable to see something else in my health history that might explain it.

In a follow-up clip, he recalled his conversation with the nurse, saying she asked if he was eating enough even though the explanation for his weight was obvious

Things only got more awkward when the comedian shared that he had two knee surgeries and the nurse asked: ‘On which knee?’

The videos have received millions of views and inspired others to share their own awkward health insurance mishaps

‘So she has to come in, and she has to ask me all these questions in a script. She’s like, “Do you think you eat enough calories every day?” And I was like, “Look I know I’m kind of skinny, but now that you’re standing here, I think we can agree there’s a better explanation for this situation.”‘

Even though it was obvious that his low weight was the result of him missing a leg, he said the nurse continued to ask him about his health history during the check-in. 

‘So I tell her I lost my leg 25 years ago, and she’s like, “Have you had any recent operations?” I was like, “Yeah, I’ve had two knee surgeries.” And she’s like, “On which knee?” I’ll give you one guess,’ he said. ‘And she’s like, “Oh, right, right.” Yes, I have one leg. It’s a right leg.’

Sundquist had his left leg amputated when he was nine after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and given a 50 per cent chance of survival

He started ski racing three years after he was declared cancer-free and was later named to the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team for the 2006 Paralympics in Turin, Italy (pictured)

The athlete is now a member of the U.S. Amputee Soccer Team, as well as an author, motivational speaker, and comedian

The viral video inspired many people to share their own health insurance woes.  

‘My stepdad lost both legs and disability kept sending people to his house to see if he’s still disabled,’ one person wrote. ‘Yea. Legs don’t grow back.’

‘I went to my doctor because I had a sinus infection. He was concerned with my “rapid weight gain for the last 6 months.” I was 8 months pregnant,’ another shared.

Someone else added: ‘I was literally at the ER for a miscarriage and the nurse asked me if there was a possibility I could be pregnant.’ 

The influencer has more than three million followers across his social media platforms

Sundquist (pictured with his wife) shared that he has since changed insurance companies and is considering getting a prosthetic made for the first time in 20 years 

But one TikToker understood how this could happen, saying: ‘Unfortunately we say the same things so often it becomes a bit of a script. I once asked a prisoner what his address was.’  

Sundquist had his left leg amputated when he was nine after being diagnosed with a rare form of bone cancer and given a 50 per cent chance of survival. 

After the amputation and a year of chemotherapy treatments, he was declared cancer-free at age 13. Three years later, he started ski racing and was later named to the U.S. Paralympic Ski Team for the 2006 Paralympics in Turin, Italy. 

The athlete is now a member of the U.S. Amputee Soccer Team, as well as an author, motivational speaker, and comedian. The influencer, who is known for his Halloween costumes, has more than three million followers across his social media platforms.  

He explained in another video that his health insurance required to be formally diagnosed as an amputee before paying for his prosthetic leg  

‘These past 25 years I’ve been like, “It’s so weird. Everyone else can walk, and I have to hop or use crutches. Why is that?” Now I know!’ he joked. ‘It’s because it turns out I’m an amputee’

In another recent video, Sundquist shared that he has switched insurance companies and is thinking about getting a prosthetic leg made for the first time in 20 years.  

‘But before my health insurance company will pay for it, I have to go to my doctor and get a letter confirming that I have one leg,’ he explained. ‘I’m like, “I don’t know. Can I just email you a photo? Can I send you a link to my TikTok so you can see…” They’re like, “No, no, we need a formal diagnosis.” 

‘So I went to the doctor. I got it, and I gotta say it’s kind of a relief,’ he joked. ‘These past 25 years I’ve been like, “It’s so weird. Everyone else can walk, and I have to hop or use crutches. Why is that?” Now I know! 

‘It’s because it turns out I’m an amputee.’