Rheumatoid Arthritis Support Group

Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, multisystem, autoimmune disorder. It is a disabling and painful condition which can lead to substantial loss of mobility due to pain and joint destruction. The disease is also systemic in that it often also affects many extra-articular tissues throughout the body including the skin, blood vessels, heart, lungs, and...

2,179 Members

16,355 Posts

0 Online

WarriorGal 08/15/2016

I have been paying close to two grand a year for about 15+ years to maintain a Long Term Health Insurance Policy. That's over $30,000!!

I got the insurance while I was still working, knowing that I was facing being permently incapacitated by my RA.

I missed one payment. I pay my bills online from my bank account and somehow must have skipped the FINAL click to send the payment and I got a CANELLATION NOTICE!

I phoned immediately and after practically crying, the guy on the phone finally says they can send me REINSTATEMENT forms for me to complete and FAX back.

WELL...now, I have to tell them all my diagnosis and doctors and they get to decide whether to reinstate me or not!

It would be a great catastrophe to lose this coverage after paying in all these many years. More than the financial loss is th eloss of knowin g I had this safety net that would prevent me fom being a burden on my children (actually just my daughter cause my sons would do nothing to hekp).

What a wondfall for the insurnace company! I won't know for WEEKS!

Whatever good vibes you can send my way would be very appreciated.

californialynn 08/15/2016

I wish you well on this matter.

When this type of insurance came on the market - what? 20 years or so ago? - I was a little skeptical and decided not to buy it. As the years rolled by some friends who were subscribers ultimately became disabled and decided to take advantage of the benefits. I've heard stories, pro and con, about the coverage and whether or not it was worth the premium.

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/01/28/

WarriorGal 08/15/2016

Thanks. I know ....Many of these policies suck. But I have had a couple of insurance agents look at my policy over the years and said it was very good and they could not sell me anything better! The price did go up recently. I had a choice of paying the increase or losing some benefits. Whatever benefits it would provide would be better than nothing.

WarriorGal 08/15/2016

First of all they rate are not that individualized. They are based on benefits.
Second of all - ALL medication has side effects - biologics far less than others, but I have needed MTX from time to time along with it and may need it again ... Finally, I am ALREADY crippled and deformed and have had major organ (lung) involvement because of having the disease for 30 years before they came up with the biologics and I'm also much older now than when I first got the policy and have had other health issues in the interim...
reduction of fees? HARDLY! I'll be lucky to be reinstated and not loose all I paid in!

journeythru 08/15/2016

Warrior Gal, wow, how awful! I am so sad to hear this happened to you. This has to be so frustrating and stressful, just what you don't need.

I am sending up prayers for you.

WarriorGal 08/15/2016

linsey - I had typed the words: "Are you kidding?" And then deleted them cause i didn't want to offend you. Sarcasm and humor are hard to convey in writing! :-)

californialynn 08/16/2016

One thing is for sure about this type of insurance: if you are going to get it, best to get it when you're much younger and the premiums are lower. If you get it when you're, say 60 or older, the premiums are pretty high and it probably may not be worth it.

WarriorGal, I just hope they don't write you a new policy and base the current premiums on your age.

WarriorGal 08/16/2016

Lynn - I am afraid that is EXACTY what they are going to do!! I had to fill out a 9 page application with all my medical history, doctors names etc. This si SUCKS!

MarleneJ 08/16/2016

I will also commit to pray that this works out for better. I know insurance in the US just sucks! Most people in Canada pay nothing for health care, although in BC I think we pay about $85 a month. That covers everything except drugs, with no copay. Then drugs - we hung onto my husband's work plan, which is $95 a month. Yep- that covers all my biologics and other drugs, plus PT, OT, chiropractor, DO, etc. There is a small copay for some things, but my provincial plan seems to be covering that, and I am NOT complaining!

And people say American coverage is so much better! NOT!

So let us know what happens. I would also look into the legality of them cancelling for one missed payment. That doesn't sound right to me. But it is private. And people wonder why I favour Canadian health care! Wait, I already said that! LOL

katrobynra 08/17/2016

WarriorGal, I hate that this happened to you. I actually work in the insurance industry and it can be a difficult process to go through reinstatement after a cancelation for this type of policy and others, like life insurance. I hope that the time it was canceled was short, that may help in their decision. It will probably be based on your current health, I am sorry to say.

californialynn 08/17/2016

Marlene wrote: "...I know insurance in the US just sucks!"

Oh, sooooo not true. A friend of mine is an RN in Montreal and she tells me the stories of Canadians so frustrated at waiting 6 months or more for a very simple outpatient procedure. Then there are the Canadians coming into the US and paying cash for medical services. But that's a conversation for a different thread.

Join the Conversation