how does an MS diagnosis affect your insurance?

[babyatlas]

i know this is a very broad question and i know it likely differs for everyone and differs for every insurance.
BUT
i am curious what insurance struggles you have had.  right now, we are covered under my husbands work...so, if he were to switch jobs would i be uninsurable?  do you then just pay out of pocket for everything - which i just cannot imagine the costs of!  do you only have to tell them about MS if you have been "officially" diagnosed?

i am in limboland but feel like things just keep getting closer and closer to MS.
thanks,
R

[Nancy T]

Even having SYMPTOMS of MS, without a diagnosis, can make you uninsurable, unless you are lucky enough to get no-questions-asked insurance via an employer.

I was recently able to sign up for long-term care insurance through my employer (though I pay the whole premium). It was a one-time guaranteed-issue offer, meaning no medical questions.

Even though I don't have MS (the docs say), I would not have passed the medical questions. There was a list of diseases that disqualify you right off the bat, including MS, Parkinsons, etc.--whether you are diagnosed or just have symptoms for which you've (ever) seen a doctor or taken medication.

My premiums will hopefully go down the drain (as one hopes car insurance premiums will go down the drain), but given my 20 years of achiness and dizziness, 10 years of neuro symptoms, and almost that many years of progressively slower walking and fatigue, I feel better having that insurance!

If your husband's new job offered insurance to family members with no medical questions, you'd be fine. If you have MS symptoms but no diagnosis, they could still deny you if you have to answer medical questions. And I agree with whoever said it would be foolish to lie about one's medical history.

It used to be they would ask only about the last five years; now it's "have you EVER had.... have you EVER seen a doctor for...?"

Good luck to you!

[hbananas]

Actually, HIPAA (Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act) protects you IF you are going from one group plan to another.  But, if you are self-employed for a time, or unemployed and buy individual insurance you can have trouble getting back in the loop (or find it impossible.)

Before HIPAA went into effect, I remember changing employers and being subject to a one-year waiting period for my allergies.

Some groups self-insure, and those plans are treated like individual insurance.  My diabetic friend was subjected to a one-year waiting period for his pre-existing condition when he left his group plan and went on his wife's school district self-insured plan.  Those aren't allowed in all states.

[Deb61]

My health insurance is continuous, so my insurance continuous as usual.  I have noticed; however, that getting medicines are very difficult to get.  I have to jump through hoops every 3 months to get my Provigil approved.  I also had a difficult time finally getting the Copaxone--it took weeks and it seemed that no one was following up on things.

However, if I didn't already have disability insurance (which I have, thankfully), I wouldn't be able to get it after my diagnosis of MS.  So, if needed, I could retire on disability.  

[jensequitur]

As long as you have continuous coverage, then a pre-existing condition isn't a problem.  But if you lose your insurance and go un-insured for any reason, then it's a problem.  That's why COBRA exists - but it's so expensive that it'll bankrupt you before you find another full time job.

I tried to increase my life insurance last year and was told because of my condition I wasn't allowed more than the standard allowance.  

[HVAC]

It depends on what tests you have had, what medications you are on, and the doctor's notes. Possible MS is just as bad to the insurance industry. Acne is a pre-existing condition in the country. Never lie to the insurance companies. They have detectives who find out everything. They will take premiums until you go to use your insurance and then deny you on the basis of fraud.

Many States do have high risk pools for those  with pre-existing conditions who are not eligible for a group plan at all. The premiums may be $500 a month but the deductables are may be $5,000 a year.


Those of us who have insurance need to do our best to keep it. I pay $1,000 a month with insurance premiums and deductables. With out it it would be at least $3,000 a month and I have never had a true MS attack needing treatment.

Good luck to you,
Alex

[MsmsinFl]

Hi there--  Very good question.

My neuros have actually told me this:  "keep your insurance, both life & health.  Once you're diagnosed with MS, you are uninsurable."  That's an actual quote.

While some states have better protections re health insurance, and some states have "catastrophic" plans you might be able to buy (at a huge price), I think MS is pretty much a deal-breaker for insurance companies.

So I'd say, make any contemplated changes before you have a diagnosis or a paper trail of convincing symptoms.

And pray for some sort of legislation that requires the Insurance companies to make it a 2-way street -- not one-way as it is now, with all the $$ flowing in their direction.

[essdipity]

In the US, this definitely depends on the insurance. Some group policies completely exclude pre-existing conditions; others don't. The pending health care reform legislation would eliminate that, ultimately, but who knows what bill will finally pass.

Should your husband seek another job, he would be well-advised to check this out discreetly before making any moves.

Hope you are never faced with this.

ess

[Mike_Shuswap]

This is an interesting question. I wish I had some answers for you, but I don't.

I think it'll make a difference what country you're in. I'm from BC, Canada, so my basic health would continue no matter what, but my extended health plan might be different.

I look forward to responses.

Mike, fello limbo lander