We just finished reading a rather shocking article over at CBS News about the US health care system. That in itself isn’t the focus of this blog, however we couldn’t believe it when we read the following part of the article where the author describes getting declined for health insurance:
A week later I was finally able to talk to an underwriter who said the sleeping pills I had for my semi-regular trans-Atlantic flights brought the hint of mental instability (because the diagnosis was “insomnia”) but I could apply for “reconsideration” with a doctor’s note.
So there you have it – if you do the right thing and seek medical advice for your insomnia, any consequent diagnosis could leave you uninsurable in the future. Furthermore, we take serious issue with the suggestion that insomnia sufferers are mentally unstable.
We need to raise the awareness and understanding of insomnia now. Please help us.
{ 2 comments… read them below or add one }
I recently was declined adding additional short term disability to my standard work coverage and declined from adding any long term disability as a result of being honest on the health form. Put down one medication I take infrequently to help fall asleep. Met Life immediately claims I have a history of insomnia. I did the whole reconsideration process with no luck and was refused signing up for coverage. I have never had any medical tests performed to arrive at a diagnosis of having insomnia. This is a bunch of BS – — learned my lesson on completing forms honestly
Sorry to hear that, Brad. It really is a travesty that insomnia is preventing people from getting health coverage. Why are we not hearing about this more often? It’s happening but people are suffering in silence. This needs to change.