Riders on Private Health Insurance

[Corporate ORphan]

Anyone have any luck getting a rider off a private health insurance policy? DH and I had colonoscopies in 2009 while we had good insurance. We each had a polyp removed and told to come back in 3 years. I had one done in 2003 and he had one in 2004 that were clean. I am kicking myself for getting them done again in 2009.

UHC came back with a policy that has a permenant exclusion on anything to do with our colon or ileum even though it has a $10,000 deductible.

WOndering if there is anyway to get it off or if any insurance co would cover us.

[Dimsumkid]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Corporate ORphan Anyone have any luck getting a rider off a private health insurance policy? DH and I had colonoscopies in 2009 while we had good insurance. We each had a polyp removed and told to come back in 3 years. I had one done in 2003 and he had one in 2004 that were clean. I am kicking myself for getting them done again in 2009. UHC came back with a policy that has a permenant exclusion on anything to do with our colon or ileum even though it has a $10,000 deductible. WOndering if there is anyway to get it off or if any insurance co would cover us.

I got diagnosed with a pre-arthritic left hip in 2007, very minor wear of cartiliage.To get a rider removed is very, very difficult. Here's my episode: As part of an annual checkup 11/2010, I asked to check on my let hip and an X Ray was ordered which verified I still have the same condition, with a little more wear. My general physician stated I had early arthritis. That caused a problem when I applied to Costco/Aetna, Humana and UHC. Aetna forced me to see a specialist even though it wasn't required. This helped in the long run since the specialist didn't even mention arthritis in his notes, he called it minor "wear of the cartilage". In the end, Aetna raised my rate an extra $15-20/mo with no riders, Humana refused to remove the rider and excluded any arthritis claims on my entire body for life. UHC initially put a rider only on my left hip, then removed it completely after getting the specialist's letter.

I can tell you Aetna and UHC underwriter's bothered to consider my individual situation. Humana didn't care until 1 month after I didn't sign with them, then called me to ask why I never signed up. So I spent 15 minutes explaining what happened and they thanked me for do so and apologized about this whole situation and claimed they would use this information I provided to better help customers.

[Silver]

C.O.:

Sorry.....I don't know of any way to get a rider off of a policy. Perhaps someone else can help.

But....I would suggest that you NOT disclose the gastric ulcers, nightmares, recent severe hair loss (from your own yanking) and multiple nervous twitches you have developed in the process of trying to obtain health insurance.

I'm right there with ya.....

[Corporate ORphan]

Thanks for the replies. AFter talking with our agent and some other people, we are going to try BCBS. It isn't portable so I guess we will be in MO until the health care bill hopefully, goes into effect in 2014 for banning pre-existing conditions.

[Corporate ORphan]

We declined the coverage because of the rider but now UHC refuses to take the first month's payment off our credit card. They are going to send us a check in 7-10 business days. What a racket. Anyone have any experience with this sort of thing and know how to get them to just take it off our credit card?

We were just not going to pay it and explain to our credit union why we subtracted it from our bill but if they send us a check that complicates things. Don't want to ruin our credit rating.

[Dimsumkid]

I'm not sure it's worth the hassle. We had to get 2 refunds from UHC in the last 2.5 months. They always came. Also had the same thing happen with Aetna when we signed with them for < 30 days.

[Corporate ORphan]

We are going to wait and see if the check comes before the credit card payment is due next week. I don't have high hopes. Do you remember how long it took? I rejected the policy on 3/28. I would like to pay it just to avoid anymore hassles but my dh is so fed up with them he doesn't want to.

[Dimsumkid]

One check took less than a month, but it was from cobra coverage and had to get processed by DW's ex company via their benefits department from UHC.
I think yours will be more like our short term policy refund which took only 1 week and was directly refunded from UHC

[dgoldenz]

They usually get it to you within about a week. Also, they are no longer taking CC payments until policy approval as of March 24th. Wish they had always done that since it's a deal killer for most people to pay for two policies in the same month.

[Corporate ORphan]

Since we declined their offer on 3/28...we got a second set of Id cards and a letter on Friday dated 3/29 about finally correcting my birthdate. I don't have high hopes that the check comes before Thursday when my cc payment is due but who knows. The rate they are going they will probably issue two checks!

I'm beginning to think they are incompetent besides being heavy handed. Anyone looking for private insurance should just stay away from them. I have a friend who told me after I applied to UHC that they canceled her a few years ago when they bought Golden Rule and she had around 60 days to find private health insurance. What if you were in the middle of cancer treatment and got that letter!

[Corporate ORphan]

The refund check from UHC came today! I'm pleasantly surprised. Probably will get another set of ID cards from them tomorrow.