There are many critical issues for persons with HIV trying to obtain health insurance. Although some governing bodies can step in and force carriers to offer health insurance coverage, the image is hard to shake off. Holding onto the coverage and getting claims paid will likely require you jump many hurdles.
It is not uncommon for insurance carriers to follow unlawful practices such as discrimination towards persons with HIV. Here are some examples of things to look out for.
Underwriting is a crucial component of all insurance carriers. It is used to determine the potential risk involved in insuring an insurance applicant. The underwriter uses the information obtained to determine if the applicant meets the companies criteria for extending the applicant a formal insurance policy. The agent who writes the policy will ask you a series of health questions approved by the State Department of Insurance. California residents are protected from an insurance company from testing blood for the presence of antibodies, which has been determined as a likely cause of AIDS.
It is also illegal for any company to assess risk on the basis of sexual orientation. Many a times, insurance companies violate this law by denying coverage to single males, implying on notions of them being gay or belonging to a certain area, actively known for gay community.
While offering health insurance coverage, the policies are often designed to exclude any illness or injuries which have been manifested before the policies effective date. This means that if the policy holder has suffered from any illness before the date of inception of policy, than he / she cannot claim the expense of treating that illness.
In case of persons infected with HIV, often the symptoms are easy to detect by the insurer being that they know what to look for and review these medical aspects on daily basis. If the insurance company suspects that a person may be HIV positive, the policy is written in such a manner to avoid claims in future if the person becomes HIV positive in the future.
To limit future liabilities, insurance carriers have used the application process as a loophole for denying claims. If a policyholder tests positive for HIV, some carriers have declined medical claims on the grounds that the policy holder did not provide accurate medical history on the application. Many state courts have ruled that the insurance companies must prove that the applicant purposely withheld information or pay the claims.
Hubert Miles is a blogger for many websites and the webmaster of Medical Insurance Tips and Health Advice websites.
categories: insurance,health,medical,health insurance,medical insurance,finance
Leave a comment