Declared Uninsurable

When I thought about writing a post on this, I wasn’t sure why it came to mind as it is something that happened 2 winters ago. But, it then came to me.

I work for a major bank in customer service. If you have a credit card in our bank, (and I’m sure other banks as well), it is advisable to contact your bank and advise them that you’ll be travelling and using your card elsewhere. Obviously, when someone is travelling, it’s always good to remind them to make sure they have travel medical insurance.

Two winters ago, my father and I took a trip to Florida. It was a pretty last minute trip, and it was mostly something my father did for me to get my spirits up. I tell you, if anyone in this world can read me like a book…it’s my father. He knew I was sad. I was sad because he and I had been on this rollercoaster of tests, more tests, and re-tests. He was being worked up to be my kidney donor. This whole process had been going on for a couple of years at least. Whenever we were ready to do this transplant, as I’ve mentioned previously…something would come up. I’d get sick. Then I’d get better. Then I’d get sick again. Then I’d get better. Then my father’s tests would be out of date so then he’d neet to go through the gauntlet of tests again. Then when I was well and his tests were done…Dad would have a project through work that he simply couldn’t leave until it was complete. Sometimes these projects included planning and organizing events that weren’t going to happen until a month later. Finally, as last, everything ended when it was found out that my father’s blood pressure was too “borderline” to do the transplant.

I was sad. Everytime I got sick and was in the hospital, I’d think to myself “well, at least when I get my transplant I can_____”. Whenever I dragged my behind out of bed at 6:15 in the morning to go to the hospital for dialysis, I’d say to myself “I won’t have to do this for long”. Now, I had no kidney lined up and would have to wait on the endless deceased donor list.

In order to lift my downed spirits, my dad asked me to book a flight for the two of us to Florida. When I booked the flights, I decided to call an insurance company so I could purchase medical insurance for myself. Better safe than sorry, you know.

I called the insurance company and spoke to a very nice gentleman. I answered all of his questions honestly and truthfully. When I told him that I had Lupus, he paused…then politely asked if he could put me on hold. I figured that it was because he was going to punch the information into the computer, then come back and give me a quote. I figured it would be extremely expensive based on the information I provided to him.

When he came back on the line, he said “Hi ma’am, I reviewed your information, and unfortunately, based on the information you provided me, you are not eligible for travel medical insurance with our company”.

“What? How come?” I asked.

He went on to told me that Lupus was one of the conditions not covered by them, and I therefore was uninsurable. He gave me the number for another insurance company that he felt would be better able to “meet my needs”. I politely thanked him….and put down the phone.

It was just travel medical insurance. It wasn’t the end of the world. But I’ll tell you the truth. I sat there, the phone beeping because I didn’t put it down properly…and cried.

Wow. I must really be sick if the insurance company doesn’t even want to insure me. First, I can’t get a kidney, and now I can’t even bloody well get travel medical insurance. I was sad. Here I am, a female in her mid-twenties, getting denied medical insurance. Crappy. Very crappy indeed.

I dried my tears and decided that I wasn’t going to call the other insurance company. I didn’t want to be rejected again. Everything including dialysis went well on my trip. Dad and I had a blast.

I consider myself very blessed to be working for an organization that covers my medical expenses. Since my trip, I found out that I can also be covered for travel medical insurance through work…and there are NO medical questions. Imagine that?