No health insurance?

Danye

I have a suspected hernia, although it hasn't been confirmed.

I don't have health insurance. If I was to take out health insurance tomorrow would the insurance cover me if the hernia is confirmed and if I needed surgery etc.

Or because it's an existing condition would I not be covered?? I find the whole health insurance thing confusing.

Thanks for the help.

slimjimmc

Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered for a number of years e.g. http://www.avivahealth.ie/help/faqs/

jlm29

In general there's waiting periods anyhow, so there's a period you have to serve before anything is covered. That is how health insurance companies protect themselves against people taking out insurance just for a procedure.

Danye

slimjimmc wrote: »

Pre-existing conditions are generally not covered for a number of years e.g. http://www.avivahealth.ie/help/faqs/

I might be clutching at straws here, but the fact that whatever is going on with me is actually not confirmed would that be classes as an existing condition considering I don't know what it is?

Doc originaly thought it was an ulcer, then hernia but ultrasound and other tests came back all clear. He thinks it may be a hidden hernia. Waiting to see an Urologist now. Could I get a policy before anything is confirmed?

I'm just worried that I may need surgery and / or other treatment and I just wouldn't be able to afford it.

Danye

Danye wrote: »

I might be clutching at straws here, but the fact that whatever is going on with me is actually not confirmed would that be classes as an existing condition considering I don't know what it is?

Doc originaly thought it was an ulcer, then hernia but ultrasound and other tests came back all clear. He thinks it may be a hidden hernia. Waiting to see an Urologist now. Could I get a policy before anything is confirmed?

I'm just worried that I may need surgery and / or other treatment and I just wouldn't be able to afford it.

Even if you didn't know about the condition, but in did in fact exist before you took out your policy, then it counts as a pre existing condition.

e.g. You have cancer, you don't know you have cancer, you take out policy, a year later you're diagnosed; you're not covered.

It's scary but true.

Oryx

I would see the fact that youve had investigations as a problem if youre trying to say this will crop up after you take out the policy. Some policies also have an 'accidents only' interval after you take it out, to avoid people doing what youre trying to do.

You are probably entitled to treatment under the public health service but youll wait.

Firedance

Deleted User wrote: »

Even if you didn't know about the condition, but in did in fact exist before you took out your policy, then it counts as a pre existing condition.

e.g. You have cancer, you don't know you have cancer, you take out policy, a year later you're diagnosed; you're not covered.

It's scary but true.

what? sorry I have to question this. How can they not cover you for something you never knew you had? Cancer could take years to be diagnosed, does that mean god forbid you have it you'll never be covered by your health insurance? Also, where in your policy would you find that particular stipulation?

Alf Veedersane

Firedance wrote: »

what? sorry I have to question this. How can they not cover you for something you never knew you had? Cancer could take years to be diagnosed, does that mean god forbid you have it you'll never be covered by your health insurance? Also, where in your policy would you find that particular stipulation?

It's in your terms and conditions:


"When determining whether a medical condition pre-existsmembership, it is important to note that it is the date of onset of the conditionthat is considered rather than the date on which the member becomes aware ofthe condition, as medical conditions may be present for some time before givingrise to symptoms or being diagnosed."
The waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered is given.

Firedance

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It's in your terms and conditions:


"When determining whether a medical condition pre-existsmembership, it is important to note that it is the date of onset of the conditionthat is considered rather than the date on which the member becomes aware ofthe condition, as medical conditions may be present for some time before givingrise to symptoms or being diagnosed."
The waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered is given.

that's shocking, I'm presuming in this age of technology a consultant could pinpoint how long you've had a condition with reasonable accuracy, so for e.g. if you discover you've a tumor that started 3 years ago under pre existing conditions (5 years) you would not be covered...

Alf Veedersane

Firedance wrote: »

that's shocking, I'm presuming in this age of technology a consultant could pinpoint how long you've had a condition with reasonable accuracy, so for e.g. if you discover you've a tumor that started 3 years ago under pre existing conditions (5 years) you would not be covered...

You wouldn't be covered for 2 more years.

Firedance

Firedance wrote: »

that's shocking, I'm presuming in this age of technology a consultant could pinpoint how long you've had a condition with reasonable accuracy, so for e.g. if you discover you've a tumor that started 3 years ago under pre existing conditions (5 years) you would not be covered...

To be clear (and this may be what you're saying yourself), it only needs to exist before your membership begins. Once you are covered, you are covered for all illnesses which begin after the date of your membership [waiting periods aside].

You will be covered for pre existing conditions after 5 years. So if you have a tumour and it goes undiagnosed for 6 years after you start your policy, this would be then covered. If it's discovered 4 years into your policy, you must wait the extra year to claim benefits.

MagicMarker

Alf Veedersane wrote: »

It's in your terms and conditions:


"When determining whether a medical condition pre-existsmembership, it is important to note that it is the date of onset of the conditionthat is considered rather than the date on which the member becomes aware ofthe condition, as medical conditions may be present for some time before givingrise to symptoms or being diagnosed."
The waiting period before pre-existing conditions are covered is given.

But how do they know when the onset was? If I've had health insurance for 1 year and then it's discovered I have cancer, how can they determine that I had it prior to me getting insurance?

Alf Veedersane

MagicMarker wrote: »

But how do they know when the onset was? If I've had health insurance for 1 year and then it's discovered I have cancer, how can they determine that I had it prior to me getting insurance?

The doctor/consultant will be asked to provide that.

Firedance

Deleted User wrote: »

To be clear (and this may be what you're saying yourself), it only needs to exist before your membership begins. Once you are covered, you are covered for all illnesses which begin after the date of your membership [waiting periods aside].

You will be covered for pre existing conditions after 5 years. So if you have a tumour and it goes undiagnosed for 6 years after you start your policy, this would be then covered. If it's discovered 4 years into your policy, you must wait the extra year to claim benefits.

yes this is exactly what I was saying, poor form imo.

MagicMarker wrote: »

But how do they know when the onset was? If I've had health insurance for 1 year and then it's discovered I have cancer, how can they determine that I had it prior to me getting insurance?

at a guess, if we're talking about something like Cancer, tumor size and the stage your cancer is at when diagnosed would be a good indicator to them that its been there a while. This is probably another reason to get health cover 'now' rather than 'later', as each year goes on the chances of something developing while being asymptomatic get higher. Am still quite shocked at this to be honest.