New Age Therapy Makes Clients Uninsurable

[Arthur Rudnick]

originally posted by Mackaroo

I find it mind-boggling that a New Age therapy can make a reasonably healthy person uninsurable. I have offered a real life example and have clarified comments about the case. The purpose of my post was to: 1) Make others aware of the consequences of some unorthodox treatments. 2) Get feedback from others who might have had similar experiences. 3) get ideas how of what products to offer my client. I thought they would be good reasons to make this post.

It's not "New Age Therapy" that makes her uninsurable, it's her use of oxygen.
The use of oxygen, regardless of the reason is an automatic decline for LTCi.

New Age Therapy is an alternative to conventional medical treatment. That means there is some kind of an underlying medical condition that's being addressed.

You've already stated that she's uninsurable for LTCi, Life, and Critical Illness. All products which do medical underwriting for health & medical conditions.

You could sell her an annuity, assuming that an annuity is an appropriate product for her.

 

[UW Guy]

I find it mind-boggling that a New Age therapy can make a reasonably healthy person uninsurable. I have offered a real life example and have clarified comments about the case. The purpose of my post was to: 1) Make others aware of the consequences of some unorthodox treatments. 2) Get feedback from others who might have had similar experiences. 3) get ideas how of what products to offer my client. I thought they would be good reasons to make this post.

Experimental treatments for any disease usually aren't met with much acceptance by life, disability, or LTC carriers. Insurers aren't hospitals, we can choose to say no and see how the data turns out for experimental treatments.

 

[scagnt83]

Also, if a chiropractor told her to start the exercise with oxygen therapy, she would have been declined. They are considered to be health care professionals.

At least with life insurance, it would depend on the carrier.

The condition that a client sees a chiropractor for could be a medical question on the app. But not all insurers consider chiropractors a true medical professional. I ran into that a few years back... perhaps it has changed...

 

[UW Guy]

At least with life insurance, it would depend on the carrier.

The condition that a client sees a chiropractor for could be a medical question on the app. But not all insurers consider chiropractors a true medical professional. I ran into that a few years back... perhaps it has changed...

We'd still be very interested as to why a potential insured was told to go on oxygen irrespective of the specialist. Chiros may be pseudo doctors depending on who you ask but if the potential insured has an issue that hinders their very breathing, we're keen to get to the bottom of it.

 

[Mr_Ed]

We'd still be very interested as to why a potential insured was told to go on oxygen irrespective of the specialist. Chiros may be pseudo doctors depending on who you ask but if the potential insured has an issue that hinders their very breathing, we're keen to get to the bottom of it.

In this case, the oxygen is NOT being used to help breathing.
The oxygen is being used to help someone with a chronic illness: fibromyalgia.

The theory is that oxygen enriched blood will help the body heal itself from the fibromyalgia.

The issue is NOT the use of oxygen.
This person would most likely be declined simply because she has a severe case of fibromyalgia.

 

[ltcadviser]

In this case, the oxygen is NOT being used to help breathing.
The oxygen is being used to help someone with a chronic illness: fibromyalgia.

The theory is that oxygen enriched blood will help the body heal itself from the fibromyalgia.

The issue is NOT the use of oxygen.
This person would most likely be declined simply because she has a severe case of fibromyalgia.

Exactly. Get calls every day from folks that tell me how healthy they are
"I am in great health...never had cancer, diabetes, heart disease, nothing"

"Any other issues"

Well, a little fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and depression. No big deal"

"I would rather you tell me you had cancer, diabetes, heart disease.....Next!"

 

[scagnt83]

Exactly. Get calls every day from folks that tell me how healthy they are
"I am in great health...never had cancer, diabetes, heart disease, nothing"

"Any other issues"

Well, a little fibromyalgia, chronic fatigue and depression. No big deal"

That like when I first started in life insurance and a guy told me he was "perfectly healthy". So I drove 45 minutes to take an app for a $1m DB WL.

I get there and start going through the health questions and he claims he had "just a little heart attack" a while back. I ask exactly how long ago and "a while back" was 1 year ago! Then he said that it was a lot less serious than his first heart attack... 3 years ago...!

He claimed over the phone he was 6' 200, but no way he was under 250 or over 5'10".
Then the COPD issue comes up and turns out he used a breathing machine.
Then the high blood pressure meds... then the cholesterol meds...

He got mad that I told him NYL would not accept him. He said that his doctor claims he is "perfectly healthy"... I wanted to tell him that if that was true he needs a new doctor!! He then goes on to tell me that "this stuff happens to "everyone" in his age group (50) and that it was no big deal". He then told me that if NYL wanted his money they would make an exception... so I told him that they did not want his money and to have a good day.

Great lesson though. After that I prescreened prospects very well before driving to meet with them. That guy is probably dead by now

 

[UW Guy]

In this case, the oxygen is NOT being used to help breathing.
The oxygen is being used to help someone with a chronic illness: fibromyalgia.

The theory is that oxygen enriched blood will help the body heal itself from the fibromyalgia.

The issue is NOT the use of oxygen.
This person would most likely be declined simply because she has a severe case of fibromyalgia.

Great, so she falls into the other reason we hate this risk; she's on an experimental treatment. Irrespective of the ailment, experimental treatments will not be met with much less than extreme skepticism. And that's if they're looking to make an offer.

 

[Mr_Ed]

Great, so she falls into the other reason we hate this risk; she's on an experimental treatment. Irrespective of the ailment, experimental treatments will not be met with much less than extreme skepticism. And that's if they're looking to make an offer.

Re-read my post.

She is NOT being declined because she is using experimental treatment.

She is being declined because she has a VERY SEVERE case of fibromyalgia.

Even if she wasn't using the oxygen she would be declined because she has a VERY SEVERE case of fibromyalgia.

 

[Mackaroo]

Re-read my post.

She is NOT being declined because she is using experimental treatment.

She is being declined because she has a VERY SEVERE case of fibromyalgia.

Even if she wasn't using the oxygen she would be declined because she has a VERY SEVERE case of fibromyalgia.

Re-read my post. She has NOT been diagnosed with fibromyalgia and takes no meds except for the oxygen. That same oxygen treatment is said to be effective for curing whatever ails ya: go on the site and see, It claims to have anti aging properties as well.
Update: GTL (Critical Illness type) says they will accept an application but they want her doctors records (they usually don't get them) because they don't quite believe that oxygen is used to treat fibromyalgia, real or imagined.
One more time: She has not been diagnosed for fibromyalgia and doesn't have severe anything.
It looks like treatment for what may well be a psychosomatic complaint will make someone uninsurable.