"Too much of a risk"

Username: judijx
Subject: life insurance

"Like many of you, we had difficulty getting our health ins company to pay for my d's treatment. They didn't seem to take her illness seriously. However, we have learned the life ins company takes it very seriously. Our agent recently encouraged us to take out small whole life policies for our kids. He said it is good to get these policies while the kids are still healthy ( ha!) When the underwriter saw that my d had previously been diagnosed with an ED, coverage was immediately denied. Too much of a risk.

So, life ins won't provide coverage because this is a life threatening illness. AND health ins thinks the trmt is excessive and limits residential trmt to something like 30 days.So frustrating, isn't it?"

Not just frustrating. Telling. And obscene.

Comments

  1. People with a history of illnesses such as anorexia find it almost impossible to buy health insurance in the US, even after recovery. Their only chance is to get a job with a large employer where they become part of a large group that buys insurance through the employer, since group plans don't typically exclude employees with preexisting conditions. The result: if you've had an eating disorder, and you want health insurance later in life, you better not think about a career other than with a large corporation or other large employer. No self-employment. No being an entrepreneur with a small company. Why should someone's health history dictate what kind of career they are able to have? It should not. The current system is dysfunctional and needs to be changed.

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  2. What's even worse is that often, treatment programs won't accept patients because they are "too far gone to be helped".
    I experienced that this past winter. I must have been referred to over a dozen units, and each one told me that they could not help me, that I was too far gone for their facility.
    I was devastated. The place that finally admitted me was a shoddy one at best but at least I was stabilized. From there, I have improved so much on my own and with the continued support from my family, especially my mother.

    Insurance and hospitals really need to come together on the topic of eating disorders so that patients can get the help they deserve.

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  3. You are both so right. It's a mess. And no better, but for other reasons, for those with a national health system.

    There is SO MUCH work to do!

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  4. I'm not going to pretend that the fear of not being able to get health insurance for the rest of my life is the main reason why I have yet to seek treatment but it's definitely a factor that holds me back. It's hard enough to work up the courage to face anorexia and really devote myself to recovery but I feel like having that diagnosis is such a permanent black mark. Sad that even if we can deal with the social stigmas attached to this disease we can't escape the black holes of insurance that might just bankrupt us...

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  5. Anonymous,

    Most cancer diagnoses have similar effects on insurance coverage, but the necessity of seeking care doesn't change.

    Society should not, and your loved ones would not trade your health for better health insurance coverage - or fear bankrupcy above your life.

    You deserve recovery: period. Sort out the money and become an activist against the stigma and the insurance industry AFTER you are well. You are needed.

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  6. Hmmm ... is there any way to use this? IE if Life Insurance Plan from Company A won't cover ED because it's "too high risk", can't that same evidence be used as leverage in getting Company A to aknowledge that it's health insurance SHOULD cover ED? Why do we let them get away with - (sry in advance) having their cake and eating it too?

    ReplyDelete

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