Cancer...

[sshafran]

...is horrible. And when it hits a really little one it can rock a family's world.

Not sure where to post this, or if it's allowed, but no risk no reward. I want to help this family, so I'm posting it in the little corner of the forum that I spend a bunch of time in...

I have a friend who's son was diagnosed with neuroblastoma at 13 months old.

They've been in the hospital since October on and off. Very few trips home, many surgeries, many small victories, and numerous setbacks.

The boy (Evan) has gone through more medically before the age of two than many of us will go through in our entire lives. His parents have insurance, but as we all know, there are deductibles, time off work, travel expenses, and tons of other things that young parents in their early 30's just weren't planning on.

So, I'm posting their gofundme here, in hopes that some of my agent friends can help them out - if able and if you desire to do so. It's a good cause.

Click here to support Evan's Tumor Expenses organized by Joy Oppman

 

[rousemark]

Would it not be wonderful if they had had a cancer plan in place to help with their regular bills as well as the added expenses while they stay with their precious child and are not able to work? Those that say cancer insurance is a bad buy have never had something like this hit close to home.

 

[sshafran]

Would it not be wonderful if they had had a cancer plan in place to help with their regular bills as well as the added expenses while they stay with their precious child and are not able to work? Those that say cancer insurance is a bad buy have never had something like this hit close to home.

It would be wonderful, yes, but unless an agent like yourself happened to meet with them, the likelihood of anyone in their 30's having cancer coverage is extremely low.

Agents don't sell the policies or "target" the younger age brackets. It took me over 8 years of being a licensed agent (and reading some of your posts) to decide to purchase a cancer plan for myself and my wife and kids. No agent ever "prospected" me for cancer coverage. If it weren't for the forum, I would not have cancer insurance.

It's just not something we think we'll be hit with - let alone our kids.

For whatever reason, we all think cancer is something that happens when we are older.

 

[somarco]

For the majority of young parents, cancer insurance is way down the list of priorities, even if "prospected" for that line of coverage.

My guess is most of these folks need to allocate more $$$ for life insurance on themselves, and their kids, before even thinking of cancer plans

 

[rousemark]

For the majority of young parents, cancer insurance is way down the list of priorities, even if "prospected" for that line of coverage.

My guess is most of these folks need to allocate more $$$ for life insurance on themselves, and their kids, before even thinking of cancer plans

That may seem to be the "logical" way to look at it but if you have your income cut by 50%+ it is hard to keep the life policy in force. Read their story. Both parents missing work, not one but two insurance deductibles to pay do far along with Co insurance. Add to that motel stays, meal costs, travel, etc. Can be a financial death. I know other diseases can be also but unfortunately the cost to cover them is major medical expense. A decent family cancer plan on persons under 45runs $37 to $54 per month with CUL. It also covers MS MD, Lupus and 23 other condition for the same benefit as cancer. Plus, they pay the same benefit for those conditions as cancer, including immunotherapy which is use to treat the four conditions I mentioned. To each his own but I will never feel apologetic for convincing a young family from purchasing cancer coverage..

 

[Misty]

That may seem to be the "logical" way to look at it but if you have your income cut by 50%+ it is hard to keep the life policy in force. Read their story. Both parents missing work, not one but two insurance deductibles to pay do far along with Co insurance. Add to that motel stays, meal costs, travel, etc. Can be a financial death. I know other diseases can be also but unfortunately the cost to cover them is major medical expense. A decent family cancer plan on persons under 45runs $37 to $54 per month with CUL. It also covers MS MD, Lupus and 23 other condition for the same benefit as cancer. Plus, they pay the same benefit for those conditions as cancer, including immunotherapy which is use to treat the four conditions I mentioned. To each his own but I will never feel apologetic for convincing a young family from purchasing cancer coverage..

Ok Rousmark, what states do you write in? I want to visit with you about a family cancer plan.

 

[Northeast Agent]

My guess is most of these folks need to allocate more $$$ for life insurance on themselves, and their kids, before even thinking of cancer plans.

And disability. None of these insurances cost much on a group basis, but when you think about major medical, dental, vision, LTD, STD, disability, indemnity, accident, etc it does all add up.

 

[somarco]

I am not a bookmaker, but I do look at the odds. Plenty of stats about uninsured/underinsured young breadwinners who start a GoFund page when one of the breadwinners can't work due to disability (even for a few weeks) or death.

My wife fell late January and will probably not return to work until late April or early May. We will have $6k in OOP medical bills and she will take a 30% hit on her pay once she runs out of sick days.

We can absorb the lost pay and cover the OOP for medical. But a lot of folks, especially the young ones with student loan debt, credit card debt, etc would be in a deeper hole if this happened to them.

 

[Misty]

I really appreciate this thread
As a captive I have all kinds of STD and LTD and whole life included but I have never thought about a family cancer plan. With 5 kids, odds are high something will happen. I hope to get one in place too while I am relatively young, 45.

 

[goillini52]

I have all kinds of STD

I'm at a loss for words.