Disability Insurance and Pre-existing Conditions

[ruh102]

Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with cancer during residency. I'm now worried that I won't be able to get individual disability coverage. What kind of options are there for someone with pre-existing conditions? Any way to continue to get coverage as an attending?

I've looked into this thread from 2013 but was wondering if there have been any new options since then.

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[TexasPhysician]

Not enough information. Do you still have cancer? Will you be disabled from cancer? Are you currently on disability?

 

[DreamLover]

Unfortunately, I was diagnosed with cancer during residency. I'm now worried that I won't be able to get individual disability coverage. What kind of options are there for someone with pre-existing conditions? Any way to continue to get coverage as an attending?

I've looked into this thread from 2013 but was wondering if there have been any new options since then.

I have 2 different friends, one diagnosed with hypothyroidism and another with thyroid cancer (treated and "cured"). Hypothyroidism got her a disability insurance policy with a thyroid disclaimer-she can never claim disability for anything related to her thyroid (or anything they think is related to her thyroid). Thyroid cancer got no disability policy whatsoever.

Every company is a little different and you'd have to talk to a broker, they could better answer your questions. In my opinion though, seek out an occupation specific policy if there are any available to you.

 

[Follow the Cairns]

I hate to play into your worst fears about this, but I will tell you what happened to a close friend of mine.

This individual had cancer as a child several decades ago. Needless to say, they were cured and survived. When this person (who is self employed) attempted to get health insurance, they were denied based on their cancer history. Didn't matter that it was a childhood disease. Didn't matter that it was 30 years before. Denied. She could only get insurance coverage by getting onto a group plan through her spouse when he started working at another job. This individual does have disability insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre policy, costs thousands of dollars a year, and it took the broker weeks shopping around to find it for her.

So, that is my experience with a sample size of N=1. I know it sounds negative, but this is something you will face throughout the remainder of your life.

 

[ruh102]

Not enough information. Do you still have cancer? Will you be disabled from cancer? Are you currently on disability?

I am currently cancer free but still receiving treatment. Working and not on disability. For the time being, I have group-level disability insurance through my residency program.

 

[Raryn]

I hate to play into your worst fears about this, but I will tell you what happened to a close friend of mine.

This individual had cancer as a child several decades ago. Needless to say, they were cured and survived. When this person (who is self employed) attempted to get health insurance, they were denied based on their cancer history. Didn't matter that it was a childhood disease. Didn't matter that it was 30 years before. Denied. She could only get insurance coverage by getting onto a group plan through her spouse when he started working at another job. This individual does have disability insurance, but it is a pretty mediocre policy, costs thousands of dollars a year, and it took the broker weeks shopping around to find it for her.

So, that is my experience with a sample size of N=1. I know it sounds negative, but this is something you will face throughout the remainder of your life.

Nowadays health insurance isn't allowed to take pre-existing conditions into consideration, so that isn't an issue.

That said, disability (and certainly life) insurance DOES take it into consideration, so it can be an issue for those.

 

[Follow the Cairns]

Very true, Raryn, and despite what everyone thinks about the rest of ObamaCare, that change is a good thing.

But, yes, it often makes the rest of your insurability for things like disability and life insurance a nightmare and that coverage is critical. I understand why they do this, because it's statistically much more likely that a cancer survivor will get another cancer or have health problems that present much later (like heart problems). Still, though, it's a good example that health problems can often follow you around the rest of your life.

 

[LBKCLU]

The odds are very good that if the diagnosis was (somewhat) recent and your are still under treatment, you will be uninsurable. However, if you are currently a resident or fellow, a Guaranteed Standard Issue (GSI) plan may be available to you regardless of your health.

Another option might be a group LTD plan or an accident only policy through Lloyd's of London.

Unfortunately, the MD Essentials program is no longer available.

Feel free to message me and I would be happy to see if I can help or point you in the right direction.

 

[dpmd]

I got insurance through my specialty board (disability and life) and was able to get covered despite my history of thyroid cancer (I was > 5 yrs out from treatments and 5 yrs out from my thyroglobulin being undetectable so "cured") and a rotator cuff tear that I was about to have surgery for. No exclusions and rates were not too affected (life was one tier down from the most preferred but didn't change rate that much, disability may not even have been changed). You could look into your specialty board and see if they have something similar.

 

[Beacopp665]

I got insurance through my specialty board (disability and life) and was able to get covered despite my history of thyroid cancer (I was > 5 yrs out from treatments and 5 yrs out from my thyroglobulin being undetectable so "cured") and a rotator cuff tear that I was about to have surgery for. No exclusions and rates were not too affected (life was one tier down from the most preferred but didn't change rate that much, disability may not even have been changed). You could look into your specialty board and see if they have something similar.

4th year med student here but will likely be thinking of these things in the not so distant future. Was being greater than 5 years out specifically detailed in the plan as not counting against you (history of lymphoma diagnosed in 2012, finished treatment 2013)? And if so would you recommend only getting disability and life insurance 5 years after treatment?

 

[dpmd]

4th year med student here but will likely be thinking of these things in the not so distant future. Was being greater than 5 years out specifically detailed in the plan as not counting against you (history of lymphoma diagnosed in 2012, finished treatment 2013)? And if so would you recommend only getting disability and life insurance 5 years after treatment?

I was getting various quotes and the 5 yr thing was specifically asked about for some. Not sure with the one i ended up going with whether it was a rate determining factor or a qualifying condition (some places wouldn't have covered me at all if i wasn't that far out). I would say it wouldn't hurt to get quotes before that time, but if the rates are outrageous you can risk going bare for a while. You might get coverage through your residency that wouldn't take your cancer into acct. Something to look into as an option (even if it doesn't have the greatest benefits it might be a decent option for you)