Talk Cancer

Question:

Hi, all… My mother is currently diagnosed for Leimyosarcoma (One type of rare cancer) and she will be starting her chemotherapy soon.  We have some questions related to the insurance for cancer patients.  My mother currently insured under my dad’s company’s insurance policy (she has been on that policy for many years), and now my dad is thinking about changing job…. Can he change job since now my mother is found to have cancer? Will that be considered as pre-existing condition?  Also, my mother also worked in another company, and that company’s insurance will allow her to seek her own doctor (instead of appointed doctor), she would like to select her own doctor, can she still add to her company’s insurance??? I am wondering how other cancer patients deal with the insurance?  Can someone share some experience with me? Thanks, Emily

Response:

Insurance companies dont like to pay out, and they hire other companies to screw with you – ignore disease and disability – and literally fighting with them and time is what makes them work as far as I can see.  Their CED’s have to get their $15,000 a day paycheck on your suffering and death. OK. With the new job, see what the new insurance provider says prior to hiring on. This would clearly be a preexisting condition since she has it, but I think Bill Clinton got a law passed that makes this illegal – not sure about that.  But it seems right.  Or is that just for workers and not spouses.  And has to your mothers insurance company – ask them what they will allow. All of it is in black and white on hers or his insurance policy, and if they dont work a claim – you can file a complaint with the state insurance comissioner.  Which I have had to threaten from time to time myself in situations. Hope that helps some SumBuddie – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, all… My mother is currently diagnosed for Leimyosarcoma (One type of rare cancer) and she will be starting her chemotherapy soon.  We have some questions related to the insurance for cancer patients.  My mother currently insured under my dad’s company’s insurance policy (she has been on that policy for many years), and now my dad is thinking about changing job…. Can he change job since now my mother is found to have cancer? Will that be considered as pre-existing condition?  Also, my mother also worked in another company, and that company’s insurance will allow her to seek her own doctor (instead of appointed doctor), she would like to select her own doctor, can she still add to her company’s insurance??? I am wondering how other cancer patients deal with the insurance?  Can someone share some experience with me? Thanks, Emily Emily – You need to ask the company’s benefits manager, but you’ll probably find that if your dad is considering joining a company with a large group policy, they will accept him and his dependents without exemptions. Otherwise you’ll be told that your mom has a pre-existing condition; it could be totally excluded from coverage, or could be exempted from coverage for a period ranging from a few months to a year. (The rules on pre-existing conditions are changed by the Kennedy-Kassebaum bill and you need to check this in your case.) The same would go for the company your mom used to work for. If you really get into a bind, I’ve found that some HMOs are willing to accept cancer patients with few restrictions on their coverage. But then you’ll be in their system, of course, which might or might not be acceptable to you. Good luck. Jim

Response:

- Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Hi, all… My mother is currently diagnosed for Leimyosarcoma (One type of rare cancer) and she will be starting her chemotherapy soon.  We have some questions related to the insurance for cancer patients.  My mother currently insured under my dad’s company’s insurance policy (she has been on that policy for many years), and now my dad is thinking about changing job…. Can he change job since now my mother is found to have cancer? Will that be considered as pre-existing condition?  Also, my mother also worked in another company, and that company’s insurance will allow her to seek her own doctor (instead of appointed doctor), she would like to select her own doctor, can she still add to her company’s insurance??? I am wondering how other cancer patients deal with the insurance?  Can someone share some experience with me? Thanks, Emily

Emily – You need to ask the company’s benefits manager, but you’ll probably find that if your dad is considering joining a company with a large group policy, they will accept him and his dependents without exemptions. Otherwise you’ll be told that your mom has a pre-existing condition; it could be totally excluded from coverage, or could be exempted from coverage for a period ranging from a few months to a year. (The rules on pre-existing conditions are changed by the Kennedy-Kassebaum bill and you need to check this in your case.) The same would go for the company your mom used to work for. If you really get into a bind, I’ve found that some HMOs are willing to accept cancer patients with few restrictions on their coverage. But then you’ll be in their system, of course, which might or might not be acceptable to you. Good luck. Jim

Response: