bam451 Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 My mom was diagnosed 8 months ago with NSLC, stage 3b. Her insurance company has recently started calling her with surveys.. I'm thinking just her because she's sick. Anyway, today they called to ask her some questions and they asked her if it would help if they sent her a kit on how to quit smoking!!!!!! Now, my mom never smoked a day in her life, and this diagnosis came as a big shock for us.. But for this company to assume that she must have smoked to have LC is unreal. It shouldnt matter. This is a terrible disease that NOBODY deserves. Sorry, I had to vent. I couldn't believe that someone could be so insensitive!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowflake Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Call the insurance company and talk to her case manager, and then the supervisor. I received calls from my insurance company, but not that often, and no surveys. Nothing about quitting smoking, either. Heck, I doubt the person calling me was a nurse as it was my understanding case workers WERE nurses... She is being harassed, and a call to the supervisor should get a note in her file that she is only to be called when they need more information. Ridiculous! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryl Ferguson Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 The insurance compamy wants, if nothing else, the individual to feel guilty about having this disease, that it was their fault. Once that is in their mind, it makes them fight a little less(die sooner, which saves the Ins. Co. money) and ask a little less from the Insurance Co.(fight them over certain treatments-meds, which saves the Co. money). It's a psychological game and the patient usually ends up the loser. I have tumors in my brain and lungs but the insuance co. is fighting me over sleeping pills. They are concerned I will get addicted to them. God forbid that happens. I guess I'd be in a real mess then. Live long enough and you will see it all. I went from excellent insurance coverage(employer, I was a policyholder for 15 years)to the next step, Cobra Coverage... this what you are pushed into when the law says your insurance coverage no longer has to honor it's committments. This Cobra coverage is so high, (to cover 2 in a family, the premium was $1570 per month)it's designed and set up to make you fail. It gets worse after Cobra runs out (18 months). It's you and Medicare after that. Like I said, live long enough and you'll see it all. Sorry you are experiencing this at these dificult times. but insurance co's happen to be a part of the reason this is difficult. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Maryanne Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 My insurance company called Joel... but they were very nice asked some questions and gave him a number to call in case he needs someone to talk too. I thought that was a nice gesture. Maryanne Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnmynatt Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 Our ins. co. kept calling Charlie about his diabetes. I finally got a hold of them and set them straight. Who cares about his diabetes at a time like this. Get a clue!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bam451 Posted February 11, 2007 Author Share Posted February 11, 2007 They wanted to know how many days of work she has missed in the last 60 days. Probably to see if they can drop her. But she's still working full time.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cheryl Ferguson Posted February 11, 2007 Share Posted February 11, 2007 If one gets to where one can't work, the HR dept. at his/her work should request that they go on the Federal Leave program. This will hold his/her job for 12 weeks(understand, 12 weeks does not mean 84 days... 12 weeks means 60 days). They will go back and count any days missed since diagnosis(whether it was due to the illness or not) and count that against the 12 weeks. The insurance should stay in tact. If the person comes back before the 12 weeks, their position must be maintained...watch out though, they will be counting every day missed after that, for a full year, to see if you go over the 60 day mark. If he/she can come back after her 12 weeks, the position may not be held. At that point, the employer can offer the lowest position with the low position pay. If he/she doesn't accept that position, the company can(and probably will) terminate the individual... the insurance then falls under Cobra, which is expensive. I'm sure there are some on here that have nothing but good things to say about their insurance... The longer this battle goes on with my cancer, the further away the insuarnce companies get. Cheryl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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