Just wondering if anyone has had to change medical insurance coverage after testing positive, with or without symptoms. My husband is about to test this month. I have insurance through my employer now, but will be changing jobs and insurance in the summer or fall. Could a positive result make a significant difference in switching coverage because it would be considered to be a pre-existing condition by the new insurance company? Or, would it only qualify as a pre-existing condition if he had symptoms that were being treated? Anyone's experience here would really help.

I'm a little nervous that after all the work we've done to get LTC and disabilty insurance lined up, now my job change will mess up our general medical insurance. I don't know if it will make any difference, but we're paying for all the testing out of pocket because it seems like the cautious thing to do.

Is it just in my mind that there's a difference between having a positive result and the onset of the actual disease? How is the onset actually determined.....by having treatable symptoms? If a person tested postive but didn't have symptoms for years, would they be considered to have HD in the years between testing and having symptoms. Maybe I'm splitting hairs, but the distinction is important in my mind when it comes to insurance issues.

Thanks for your input!

I know a little about HIPAA laws (if you are in the states) and portability of health insurance. You will be asked by your new employer for a HIPAA certificate. This will be issued by your current insurance company. It will prove the dates that you had coverage with them. If you do not have any lapses in coverage greater than 62 days, and you have had coverage at your current job for at least 18 months (I need to verify that 18 at work tomorrow - it might be 9), you will not have a waiting period for pre-existing conditions.

Your LTC and disability policies might have a portability option. If so, pre-existing conditions shouldn't matter.

Hope this helps. I'll look up the 18/9 issue and get back with you. Sorry about that.

Rachel

Rachel,

That's good news! So if we met the coverage time qualification (more than 18 months), and there's little or no time lapse, it doesn't matter what kind of pre-existing condition there might be?

We did purchase the ltc and ltd policies privately instead of through an employer.

Thanks, that's very helpful!

That's correct. One of the major reasons that HIPAA laws were created was because people were afraid to change jobs because of health insurance issues. So with the Certificate of Credible Coverage which proves that you haven't had a lapse, they cannot impose waiting periods for pre-existing conditions.
Good luck.

Hi,
One of the clinics we went to said they really don't check that careful if someone at risk tested and used a bogus name. That way you
are protected for sure. This would mean paying in cash, etc.