RE: Re: Introduction and 2 Questions

[Guest guest]

Actually that's a ton of help, . I've been afraid to exclude the

tiniest detail on my apps, thinking they'd check up on everything and it

might automatically disqualify me if they found discrepancies. I think I'll

try this approach. Worst case scenario I can plead ignorance. Thank you so

much!

-

Re: Introduction and 2 Questions

Hey -

I am also self-employed so can lend an extra empathetic ear. The whole

health insurance/care system in our country is such total CRAP. I

totally know what you mean about not wanting this condition to dictate

what you should do with your work.

I have to say I am surprised you were rejected on the basis of the

Hashis coupled with teenage depression. Someone on this board

mentioned to me a long time ago... and I'll pass it along to you...

she used to work for an insurance company. She says it's all about

what you say on your app. versus what they can find out themselves.

And chances are they won't go out of the way to do the latter. I'll

tell you, and I shouldn't say this, but I had massive hospital records

from my very bad time with the Hashis--tests for all kinds of stuff

including things that would look inconclusive just from the tests.

They tested me for drugs, they sent me to a psychiatrist--all that

turned out fine because it was just this crazy thyroid coupled with a

parasite probably and horrible herbal treatment I think. But you don't

want to even indicate they had to do any of that. So you know what I

did--I just didn't include half of the tests with my app, certainly

not all the scary stuff. No one flinched. If the insurance company

says they'll request the records from your docs directly, tell them

oh, I have a string of docs from all these different places I've lived

and keep my own records, so I'll just submit them myself. In my case

this is actually true anyway. Always get a copy of your own records!

So... the good thing about Hashis being somewhat naively perceived by

the medical industry as a totally controllable condition that does not

make you likely to contract anything else bad is that the Hashis alone

really shouldn't matter in an insurance app. I suppose you could go to

a doc for a checkup and ask them to put on your record that your

thyroid levels are well under control and you are in excellent health.

That might help too, though you shouldn't need it.

I hope that is of some help, -

> > >

> > > Hi,

> > >

> > > I've just joined the group. I look forward to getting to talk

> with

> > > you all and hopefully learn some things along the way. My name

> is

> > > . I'm 22 and was diagnosed with Hashimoto's about 3

> years

> > > ago. I've been taking Synthroid ever since and as of my last

> round

> > > of blood tests my TSH levels had evened out. Unfortunately that

> > was

> > > about a year ago, just before my health insurance ran out.

> > >

> > > For the last year I've been trying unsuccessfully to get new

> health

> > > insurance but have been getting declined because of the

> Hashimoto's

> > > overlapping with a diagnosis of depression (likely aggravated by

> > the

> > > hypothyroidism) from my younger teenage years. Has anyone else

> had

> > > insurance troubles because of the condition and can anyone offer

> > any

> > > advice? I've been procrastinating on tests and checks that I

> know

> > I

> > > need because of the lack of insurance, but that still doesn't

> look

> > > like it will be resolved any time soon.

> > >

> > > Additionally, I have a silly 2nd question I really should know

> the

> > > answer to. Please indulge me. I've recently had some tenderness

> > and

> > > a bit of swelling on one side of my neck just slightly higher

> than

> > I

> > > think my thyroid is located. This in addition to feeling much

> > worse

> > > than usual over the last few months. So my question for you:

> when

> > > trying to feel your thyroid gland, is it up just under the

> jawline

> > or

> > > a bit lower down on the neck? I know that regardless I need to

> get

> > > it checked up on by a doctor, but I'll probably give in and eat

> the

> > > no-insurance cost sooner if what I'm experiencing is, in fact, in

> > the

> > > vicinity of my thyroid.

> > >

> > > Thank you all so much!

> > >

> >

> >

> >

> >

> > *Note: Information is freely exchanged on this board based on

> patient

> > experiences, and should not be considered a medical

> recommendation.

> >

[Guest guest]

Depends on the insurer, and maybe on the state you live in.

Check this out:

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2007/03/23/insurer-fined-for-dropping-the-sick-and-t\

he-pregnant/

Personally I doubt a million dollar fine will make Blue Cross even blink

let alone stop this kind of thing.

I recently read a similar article that I can't find now, that Blue

Cross, also in CA, I think, was using even legitimate mistakes and

memory lapses resulting in incomplete or wrong info on applications to

cancel health insurance policies.

In my own case with the life insurance, I felt that if I had claimed I

had no history of depression, and they found out later, say after I was

dead, they could refuse to pay out the policy, thus they would have

collected premiums for umpteen years and walked away with it all. Same

with health insurance, if they decide not to pay out for a particular

condition, or decide to cancel your policy, you do not get your premiums

refunded.

Good luck whatever you do.

sol

Maulding wrote:

> Actually that's a ton of help, . I've been afraid to exclude the

> tiniest detail on my apps, thinking they'd check up on everything and it

> might automatically disqualify me if they found discrepancies. I think I'll

> try this approach. Worst case scenario I can plead ignorance. Thank you so

> much!

>

>

>

>

[Guest guest]

Yikes! That's just terrible. I'm certainly not deliberately excluding

anything on the current applications, but it's just impossible to remember

all of this stuff and I feel like I'm just repeating myself on the forms.

(On the last application I filled out, Hashimoto's is listed at least 5

separate times as answers to different questions, with full diagnosis,

treatment, treating physician info, etc.) I'm trying to at least abridge it

because honestly, it's getting to the point that it's really hurting my

ability to get my work done. For a history as extensive as mine it's a good

4 hours to fill out an application with a minimum 2-3 hours of follow up in

the subsequent weeks, which is significant when you're on to your 4th and

5th applications. You'd think you could just sign a waiver and they could

go look it up themselves. *sigh*

Really, thank you everyone for the feedback on this. At the very least it's

comforting that I'm not the only one having to deal with this nonsensical

insurance runaround.

-

's tip that they might not be quite as militant about forgotten visits

was certainly comforting though.

Re: Re: Introduction and 2 Questions

Depends on the insurer, and maybe on the state you live in.

Check this out:

http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2007/03/23/insurer-fined-for-dropping-the-sick-a

nd-the-pregnant/

Personally I doubt a million dollar fine will make Blue Cross even blink

let alone stop this kind of thing.

I recently read a similar article that I can't find now, that Blue

Cross, also in CA, I think, was using even legitimate mistakes and

memory lapses resulting in incomplete or wrong info on applications to

cancel health insurance policies.

In my own case with the life insurance, I felt that if I had claimed I

had no history of depression, and they found out later, say after I was

dead, they could refuse to pay out the policy, thus they would have

collected premiums for umpteen years and walked away with it all. Same

with health insurance, if they decide not to pay out for a particular

condition, or decide to cancel your policy, you do not get your premiums

refunded.

Good luck whatever you do.

sol

Maulding wrote:

> Actually that's a ton of help, . I've been afraid to exclude the

> tiniest detail on my apps, thinking they'd check up on everything and it

> might automatically disqualify me if they found discrepancies. I think

I'll

> try this approach. Worst case scenario I can plead ignorance. Thank you

so

> much!

>

>

>

>

*Note: Information is freely exchanged on this board based on patient

experiences, and should not be considered a medical recommendation.