Would My Insurance Drop Me for Smoking Pot?

bigZ

New Member
1
Hi

I know this looks silly but im really worried about it,

I have a PPO insurance with Aetna, I felt some chest pain last week and made an appointment with a doctor to check it out, I went there and she asked me if I use drugs I told her just marijuana, she concluded that my chest pains were due to marijuana and asked me to stop, this is ridiculous because i know my chest pains have nothing to do with marijuana, I left her office and decided to make another appointment with another doctor which I did, two days before my new appointment the pain worsened and I was rushed to the ER, the doctor said its just an inflammation in the sac around the heart, gave me some pain killers and said this is normal and harmless and the pain should go in two weeks. Now Im worried whether my insurance would drop me or not because of the marijuana use, I still want to do further exams just to make sure everythin is fine but Im also worried Aetna would drop me if they see billings coming in after they find out about the marijuana.

I live in ohio, i'm part of a group insurance,

one more thing, would Aetna report this to my employer?

Thanks
 
If you didn't disclose it on the application they could rescind the policy.

It's probably likely if its not legal for you to use in your state and you just had a claim they can use this to get out of.


It would depend greatly on if they saw the notes that you admitted use.

They could not report to employer without violation of HIPPA.

---
Never mind, group coverage.

Much less likely they'd drop you.
 
If you didn't disclose it on the application they could rescind the policy.

It's probably likely if its not legal for you to use in your state and you just had a claim they can use this to get out of.


It would depend greatly on if they saw the notes that you admitted use.

They could not report to employer without violation of HIPPA.

---
Never mind, group coverage.

Much less likely they'd drop you.


Just curious, what if a person starts an activity after an application/coverage starts?

Like, say 6 months later someone begins smoking or any other 'non-disclosed' activity. Something you were honestly introduced to after, the app....does the applicant have a duty to inform of behavoir or life style changes?
 
Just curious, what if a person starts an activity after an application/coverage starts?

Like, say 6 months later someone begins smoking or any other 'non-disclosed' activity. Something you were honestly introduced to after, the app....does the applicant have a duty to inform of behavoir or life style changes?

I doubt that is a huge thing, it would be like starting to smoke AFTER an application for life insurance as a NTU. I guess most people are set in their ways before getting insurance and few people start a habit after, more people are trying to stop.

Though they have ways to look on life insurance, if the smoking damage looked like it was 10 years and you said you started smoking 2 years ago, that is a problem... I would assume there is something like that for health insurance, too.
 
Dont scare this person, they are asking a question that concerns them. Nothing will happen to you, don't let people scare you. And no, they won't notify your employer, laws protect your privacy, HIPPA LAW .
The Office for Civil Rights enforces the HIPAA Privacy Rule, which protects the privacy of individually identifiable health information; the HIPAA Security Rule, which sets national standards for the security of electronic protected health information; the HIPAA Breach Notification Rule, which requires covered entities and business associates to provide notification following a breach of unsecured protected health information; and the confidentiality provisions of the Patient Safety Rule, which protect identifiable information being used to analyze patient safety events and improve patient safety.
 
Back
Top