AFLAC Now Targeting Crohn's

[LodgeLady]

My son started a new job. Their short term disability is not offered through the company but through AFLAC. I happened to be listening to the representative as he was explaining all the products and questionaires to my son.

While some products like accident insurance and critical care don't require any underwriting, short term disability does. So one must apply and submit answers to questions that may require further investigation and requests of medical records and statements from your/any physician. Guess what one of the questions was?

"Does anyone to be covered currently have any know indication of or in the last 12 months, has anyone to be covered been diagnosed with or treated for any of the following conditions or had any of the flollwing procedures;

Crohn's disesase, ileitis, regional enterities, ulcerative colitis (in addition to other diseases not mentioned here)." They also mentioned have you ever been hospitalized or treated in an ER for Crohn's. They also mentioned asthma as well, which I have.

Well they have just about found every word that could possibly link one to the possibility of Crohn's or UC. If you check yes to this question, then they have to have you submit that you will send ALL medical records from ALL doctors to underwriting.

Basically, I'm screwed from ever getting anything outside of my employer's benefit.

Thank goodness they don't ask the applicant if there is any family history of these diseases. But basically, if anyone has any pre-existing condition, if it ain't covered under Obamacare, then insurance companies can continue to discriminate.

 

[nogutsnoglory]

I thought insurance companies cannot discriminate based on pre-existing conditions and cannot deny coverage.

 

[Alley2231]

I tried to get additional short term disability and hospitalization after being hospitalized for Crohn's through multiple insurance companies. It's not just AFLAC...if you have a certain medical condition and are more prone to utilizing the insurance you're a higher risk. If you've been hospitalized within the last 12 months you are also considered a higher risk and will have to go through a waiting period before signing up for the insurance.

 

[LodgeLady]

I tried to get additional short term disability and hospitalization after being hospitalized for Crohn's through multiple insurance companies. It's not just AFLAC...if you have a certain medical condition and are more prone to utilizing the insurance you're a higher risk. If you've been hospitalized within the last 12 months you are also considered a higher risk and will have to go through a waiting period before signing up for the insurance.

It's even more than that. With Aflac if you have a pre-existing illness and have future hospitalization a surgeries etc. even past 12 months they may not be covered.

 

[Malice67]

This spring when I was really anemic and being tested for everything under the sun, but before I was diagnosed I met with my disability insurance rep (not AFLAC) and we upped my insurance to the highest level offered while I could still honestly say I had not been "diagnosed or hospitalized with ____ " As long as any diagnosis did not occur within 30 days (when the higher coverage began) it wouldn't matter what the findings were. Needless to say I made sure my followup visit was AFTER the 30 days.

not so lucky with the life insurance... applied during open season (October) but they didn't send the medical questionaire until the second week of February -- one week AFTER I started testing, which was the red flag for the life insurance. Had they sent it in a timely manner I could have gotten coverage... (not completely screwed... I do have a 500K policy, but it is term and will end when I still have a kid in college). So I get what you are talking about

 

[LindaS]

I think they know if you have Crohn's or UC you have a much higher chance of needing short term disability. The thing that gets me is that I can't get life insurance because of the Crohn's except through my employer, so I'm limited by that maximum, which is only 500K. I know that sounds like a lot, but I'm an attorney and I have a son who is only 10 years old. I worry if I were to die, would my husband be able to afford our way of life, and would my son be able to afford to go to college? It is ridiculous, because Crohn's doesn't decrease your life span.

 

[LindaS]

I thought insurance companies cannot discriminate based on pre-existing conditions and cannot deny coverage.

NGNG, that is for health insurance. Short term (or long term) disability and life insurance can discriminate and/or deny coverage.

 

[Lisa]

I have additional coverage through Combined Insurance - there was either a 6 month or 12 month waiting period for anything having to do with my Crohn's/UC, but after that I'm covered....which reminds me, I have a couple of claims to submit for my husband and daughter!