Health Insurance - Caution

[homefor2]

Anyone buying health insurance should NOT fill out the questionnaire by themselves unless you have a medical background. This was the advice given to me by my doctor. He suggested I bring the form to him and get the answers correct. There a lot of seemingly trick questions if you don't understand all the medical terms and exactly what your medications are for. As an example my form asked if I was taking medication for high blood pressure. Mine has always been normal to slightly low so my answer was NO. My doctor pointed out that I am in fact taking a medication for something else that is also used for high blood pressure. An insurance company would likely use that to deny a claim due to me not disclosing the correct answer.

There was a program on 20/20 giving an example of a Canadian that made an honest mistake on the questionnaire and Manulife denied a huge claim of over $200,000. It stated they would probably loose their home. It's not worth the risk.

[moisheh]

Actually your Dr. erred. You need a lawyer and a Dr. to answer the questions on some policies. CBC did a story on Manulife and both the Dr. and the lawyer stated they could not guarantee the answers were correct. Manulife has designed their questionnaire so you will make a mistake!

Moisheh

[slickest1]

Yes It is very good advice! A lady we know was in AZ. and wound up in the hospital for 4 days. They thought had a stroke which they found out later not to be so. Her travel ins. co. denied her claim because she didn't know her Dr. had upped her dosage on a blood pressure med. and had not declared it.

They were on the hook for over $100,000. After much negotiation, they paid $5000. and the ins. co. paid the rest.

[homefor2]

Old-Biscuit wrote:
WOW.......
Member from Canada posting Health Insurance Info in Snowbird section and folks jump to US Healthcare issues :S

Come on...
OP is talking about insurance coverage while visiting in US and the need to correctly fill out ins. questionnaire for coverage while in US.

No would be correct answer for question about 'having high blood pressure' BUT seeing as that same medication is used for blood pressure AND other conditions OP would need to make it known that that medication IS being taken BUT for such and such condition.
Hard to know that without medical training.....so advice from OP to the Canadians visiting about getting together with their Doctor and filling out questionnaire is good advice

Thanks for clarifying my original post. I have not been on my computer so missed some of this.

[portliz]

Almcc Just had that very same thing happen to me. Thank goodness I called to Check! Didn't matter that the polyps were benign. The warning to be cautious is right on. Check your stability clause as Well!

[DanNJanice]

You can't take the Fisherman out of this Camper wrote:

coolmom42 wrote:
Why is a Canadian buying health insurance?

And under current law in the US (although this may change) health insurance cannot exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

The OP is referring to travel insurance for Canadians travelling outside their province of residence, or abroad... such as to the USA. Believe me.. when you have a medical problem in the USA and no travel insurance protection, the bills add up very quickly. My own experience was a bill for $24,000 US for less than a 24 hour hospital stay. I was not even formally admitted! Fortunately my insurance company stepped up to the plate!!

OK, now I understand.

[John___Angela]

coolmom42 wrote:
Why is a Canadian buying health insurance?

And under current law in the US (although this may change) health insurance cannot exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

Canadians don't usually buy health insurance. They do buy supplemental health insurance to cover them if they travel to a country where the health care costs are more than Canadas. Canada healthcare covers you anywhere in the world but only up to what it costs in Canada. The individual is on the hook for the difference.

[almcc]

Yes, the OP gives good advice. Another example that could give the insurer a window to deny coverage. If you have had a colonoscopy it's not considered an operation (in answer to the question about recent operations). However,if a polyp was removed during that colonoscopy then you have had an operation! That info came from a broker selling out of country insurance, so one of his clients must have got tripped up!

[Old-Biscuit]

WOW.......
Member from Canada posting Health Insurance Info in Snowbird section and folks jump to US Healthcare issues :S

Come on...
OP is talking about insurance coverage while visiting in US and the need to correctly fill out ins. questionnaire for coverage while in US.

No would be correct answer for question about 'having high blood pressure' BUT seeing as that same medication is used for blood pressure AND other conditions OP would need to make it known that that medication IS being taken BUT for such and such condition.
Hard to know that without medical training.....so advice from OP to the Canadians visiting about getting together with their Doctor and filling out questionnaire is good advice

[You_can_t_take_]

coolmom42 wrote:
Why is a Canadian buying health insurance?

And under current law in the US (although this may change) health insurance cannot exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

The OP is referring to travel insurance for Canadians travelling outside their province of residence, or abroad... such as to the USA. Believe me.. when you have a medical problem in the USA and no travel insurance protection, the bills add up very quickly. My own experience was a bill for $24,000 US for less than a 24 hour hospital stay. I was not even formally admitted! Fortunately my insurance company stepped up to the plate!!

[coolmom42]

Why is a Canadian buying health insurance?

And under current law in the US (although this may change) health insurance cannot exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions.

[OH48Lt]

The medication may also be used for hypertension (high blood pressure), but if you're not taking it for that condition, and you haven't been diagnosed as having that condition, then "no" would be the correct answer. There are MANY drugs out there that have approved by the FDA for multiple diagnoses.

[ScottG]

You do not want to tell them your taking a medication for high blood pressure when you are not. This is just going to cost you money and is bad advice.

[DanNJanice]

homefor2 wrote:
Anyone buying health insurance should NOT fill out the questionnaire by themselves unless you have a medical background. This was the advice given to me by my doctor. He suggested I bring the form to him and get the answers correct. There a lot of seemingly trick questions if you don't understand all the medical terms and exactly what your medications are for. As an example my form asked if I was taking medication for high blood pressure. Mine has always been normal to slightly low so my answer was NO. My doctor pointed out that I am in fact taking a medication for something else that is also used for high blood pressure. An insurance company would likely use that to deny a claim due to me not disclosing the correct answer.

There was a program on 20/20 giving an example of a Canadian that made an honest mistake on the questionnaire and Manulife denied a huge claim of over $200,000. It stated they would probably loose their home. It's not worth the risk.

It is a little unclear to me what you are attempting to say. Are you referring to the Canadian healthcare system, the US healthcare system, some other private policy, or what?

[2oldman]

In the USA we can thank the HIPAA laws for making medical records stay in the 19th century. Imagine, your health history is expected to be carried around in your brain.

It would be nice if there were an 'opt out' option from HIPAA and you could release all your prescription computer records to the company asking for that information. Easy and certainly accurate.