Re: Hypothyroidism and Medical Insurance

[Guest guest]

I have never heard of anyone being turned down for having seizures. I have seizures and it has never been a problem. Of course we get our insurance thru my husbands job at the post office but when he was not working there it was my blood pressure that was a problem. Not seizures. Thank God my Blood Pressure is now under control ..I give some natural products that I take credit for that.

These Insurance Companies are something else.

in Lufkin

Hypothyroidism and Medical Insurance

Hi all,I've asked this question on the About.com Thyroid Disease website, butI wanted to also ask ya'll:Have you had trouble getting health insurance because of your thyroid?Do you mention it on the application that you have hypothyroidism? Myhusband and I tried to get health insurance through Unicare last yearafter I quit my job (because the company moved too far away from ourhome and they wouldn't raise my salary to compensate for the increaseddistance), and it's been a nightmare trying to get other healthinsurance. Unicare denied us because of my husband's epilepsy and myhypothyroidism (thyroid agenesis -- no thyroid gland since birth). Thankfully I found a temporary agency which provides health insurance,the premiums for which are deducted from weekly paychecks. Of course,I only get it when I'm working.So, any thoughts? Are ya'll covered?Thanks,Chelle

[Guest guest]

Yes they are, . When I asked them why my husband was being denied because of his epilepsy they gave me some rot about it being a neurological condition that could cause any number of other problems. Then when I asked why my thyroid condition was cause for denying me coverage when thyroid problems are so easily and inexpensively treated, I can't exactly remember what he said but the excuse was pretty stupid. Then they told me that we might be able to get coverage through the Texas Health Insurance Risk Pool (THIRP). The trick is, you can't get coverage through THIRP until you're no longer eligible for COBRA. So, I'd better just learn to be happy with whatever assignment this temp agency I'm with gives me, because at least I get coverage through them. Now I just have to figure out whether Dr. Lynn Gibbs is in the Beechstreet network. I know Victor Knopp is, but for reasons given by others in earlier posts, he's OUT.~Chelle> These Insurance Companies are something else.> > in Lufkin

[Guest guest]

Oh -- one other thing I forgot to mention. My husband has been seizure-free since 2001, when we realized that he needs to take the brand-name anti-convulsive drug Dilantin instead of the generic phenytoin. He had seizures in 1997 and in 2001, and we figured out that both of those times he had been on the generic form of his medication. Five years (well, it will be in November) he's gone now seizure-free -- I think that's pretty dang good don't you? ~Chelle(P.S. Sorry to go off-topic)>> I have never heard of anyone being turned down for having seizures. I have seizures and it has never been a problem. Of course we get our insurance thru my husbands job at the post office but when he was not working there it was my blood pressure that was a problem. Not seizures. Thank God my Blood Pressure is now under control ..I give some natural products that I take credit for that.> > These Insurance Companies are something else.> > in Lufkin> Hypothyroidism and Medical Insurance> > > Hi all,> > I've asked this question on the About.com Thyroid Disease website, but> I wanted to also ask ya'll:> > Have you had trouble getting health insurance because of your thyroid?> Do you mention it on the application that you have hypothyroidism? My> husband and I tried to get health insurance through Unicare last year> after I quit my job (because the company moved too far away from our> home and they wouldn't raise my salary to compensate for the increased> distance), and it's been a nightmare trying to get other health> insurance. Unicare denied us because of my husband's epilepsy and my> hypothyroidism (thyroid agenesis -- no thyroid gland since birth). > Thankfully I found a temporary agency which provides health insurance,> the premiums for which are deducted from weekly paychecks. Of course,> I only get it when I'm working.> > So, any thoughts? Are ya'll covered?> > Thanks,> > Chelle>

[Guest guest]

Yes, it did. I called and asked. I'm keeping it because I'm the main breadwinner in the house (DH is retired), and it's really not that bad - just a big jump.I'm sure COBRA would be available to me; I work for a major corporation. I just don't know how I'd afford it if I weren't working. Hopefully, I won't have to deal with the situation.

<snip>

Did your premium double because you turned 55? Is that something that is common? I would have never thought of that in a million years!

[Guest guest]

I take Tegretol XR. I was always told Seizure meds are ones that you should never take the generic. I always instist on it. Besides there is no generic for what I take. I have no seizures as long as I take my meds like I am supposed to. It was the strangest thing. I had never had a seizure until I was pregnant with my first child. It took my husband forever to convince me that anything was wrong. I would just kind of smack my lips and fade out and then back in. Before I got regulated on meds many year ago. I drove right into a gas station. I can laugh about it now, but not then.

Hypothyroidism and Medical Insurance> > > Hi all,> > I've asked this question on the About.com Thyroid Disease website, but> I wanted to also ask ya'll:> > Have you had trouble getting health insurance because of your thyroid?> Do you mention it on the application that you have hypothyroidism? My> husband and I tried to get health insurance through Unicare la st year> after I quit my job (because the company moved too far away from our> home and they wouldn't raise my salary to compensate for the increased> distance), and it's been a nightmare trying to get other health> insurance. Unicare denied us because of my husband's epilepsy and my> hypothyroidism (thyroid agenesis -- no thyroid gland since birth). > Thankfully I found a temporary agency which provides health insurance,> the premiums for which are deducted from weekly paychecks. Of course,> I only get it when I'm working.> > So, any thoughts? Are ya'll covered?> > Thanks,> > Chelle>

[Guest guest]

Well, I'm glad you were told. We had to find this out for ourselves,

but I thank God for the wealth of information on the Internet. In

this day & age we really have to take charge of our own health. The

majority of doctors certainly aren't going to do it for us.

~Chelle

>

> I take Tegretol XR. I was always told Seizure meds are ones that you

should never take the generic. I always instist on it. Besides there

is no generic for what I take. I have no seizures as long as I take my

meds like I am supposed to. It was the strangest thing. I had never

had a seizure until I was pregnant with my first child. It took my

husband forever to convince me that anything was wrong. I would just

kind of smack my lips and fade out and then back in. Before I got

regulated on meds many year ago. I drove right into a gas station. I

can laugh about it now, but not then.

>

>

[Guest guest]

(Actually those were my words, not 's, you quoted in your message ... but that doesn't matter)No, I didn't know that about THIRP, but I'm not a bit surprised. Anyway that's neither here nor there because we're not eligible for it until March or April, 2007. In the meantime I think I'm just going to take the next assignment my agency offers to me -- whatever the hourly rate is, as long as it's reasonable -- and try to stick with that for as long as I can, or at least as long as it takes me to get to see Dr. Gibbs and get a year's supply of Armour (because the agency I use now -- Venturi Staffing Partners -- provides health, dental, vision, life, and s/t disability which is deducted from my paycheck on a weekly basis). After that, I may not care what job I have because I'll feel so good finally being on Armour! ~Chelle>> > > > > Then they told me that we might be able to get coverage through the Texas > Health Insurance Risk Pool (THIRP). The trick is, you can't get coverage > through THIRP until you're no longer eligible for COBRA. > > > Do you know that THIRP is twice as expensive as other insurance you obtain > on your own? Did you also know they have an exclusion of treatment for one > year of preexisting conditions? What is the sense in having it? I think a law > should be passed that if an insurance company sells a policy in the state to > one person, then any person should be allowed to purchase the policy at the same > price. Also, for those without insurance, we are treated at the top price. > There is no discount because we have no insurance company to run interference > for us. It stinks.> > June> > It's not what you gather, but what you scatter that tells the kind of life > you have lived.> > Helen Walton>

[Guest guest]

Chelle,

No, I have not been denied coverage because of Hypo, but that's not

identical to your condition. We are covered through the Texas Risk

Pool, due to my husband's bypass. We did disclose my Hypo and there

was no exclusion.

Carol

>

> Hi all,

>

> I've asked this question on the About.com Thyroid Disease website,

but

> I wanted to also ask ya'll:

>

> Have you had trouble getting health insurance because of your

thyroid?

> Do you mention it on the application that you have

hypothyroidism? My

> husband and I tried to get health insurance through Unicare last

year

> after I quit my job (because the company moved too far away from

our

> home and they wouldn't raise my salary to compensate for the

increased

> distance), and it's been a nightmare trying to get other health

> insurance. Unicare denied us because of my husband's epilepsy and

my

> hypothyroidism (thyroid agenesis -- no thyroid gland since birth).

> Thankfully I found a temporary agency which provides health

insurance,

> the premiums for which are deducted from weekly paychecks. Of

course,

> I only get it when I'm working.

>

> So, any thoughts? Are ya'll covered?

>

> Thanks,

>

> Chelle

>

[Guest guest]

I know, I've been shafted a few times, but it's a long-term process.

The next trick will be to get a doctor to treat me

correctly. . .meantime I self-treat. I'm much calmer now! ;-}