Why hep C sufferers need a fair deal

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Kate : Why hep C sufferers need a fair deal

Saturday, 27 September 2008

If people with HIV/Aids were faced with ignorant and inconsistent treatment by

the protection industry, there would be uproar. The word " discrimination " would

be hurled about – and fair enough. Thankfully, the way HIV-positive life

assurance customers are treated has improved greatly over the past few years,

with much more effective guidelines and regulations enforced among protection

providers.

But a report seen exclusively by The Independent indicates that sufferers from

the disease hepatitis C – about 500,000 in the UK, far more than the 70,000 or

so living with HIV/Aids – face ill-informed companies who add huge amounts to

premiums.

Hepatitis C is an infection that causes inflammation of the liver. Most people

don't realise they have it, complaining only of fatigue and vague pain around

their liver. Many GPs fail to diagnose it. It is passed on through infected

blood, so carriers have often had blood transfusions or intravenous medical

treatment, or are drug users who shared needles or had sex with an infected

person. Infection rates are about 1 per cent in Europe, 2 per cent in the USA,

and as much as 10 per cent in some communities in Egypt, South Asia and Eastern

Europe.

Just as the Department of Health is set to launch a hepatitis C awareness

campaign, research by the independent financial advice firm Compass has found

that there is no consistent approach on hepatitis C sufferers' premiums. Some

providers add 50 per cent, some 200 per cent. And 90 per cent of life assurance

providers were unable to give any clear information on the disease, the report

found.

Hep C can permanently damage your liver and seriously affect life expectancy.

But sufferers can and do recover, life expectancy can return to near-normal

levels, and life can carry on as usual, although ex-sufferers will always carry

signs of the disease in their bloodstream. Unfortunately, life assurance

companies don't see it like that, and will treat all hep C-positive cases the

same.

of Compass says: " The fact there are no guidelines for the way hep

C is treated, and that each company has different ideas about how to treat

clients, is remarkable. "

Gore of the Hepatitis C Trust agrees. " Hepatitis C is a disease that

disproportionately affects the underprivileged and vulnerable. Having the

insurance industry compound that is unacceptable, " he says, adding that

protection providers have failed to keep up with advances in hepatitis C

treatment. " We must have some clear, standardised guidelines. "

In a statement, the Association of British Insurers argued that they were on top

of the issue, while seeming to miss the point. " Insurers are acutely aware and

sensitive to the issues around sexually transmitted diseases like hepatitis C,

and treat customers sensitively and respectfully. The ABI Statement of Best

Practice for HIV and Insurance sets out best practice for ABI members, when

dealing with applications where HIV may be an issue. This includes ensuring that

each application is considered individually, based solely on best available

evidence. If you have a test for hepatitis C with a negative result, then you do

not need to tell your insurance company and it will not be taken into account. "