Are The Grieving An Insurance Risk?

[melina]

I applied for extra insurance in case I should become seriously ill or injured. This has been worrying me, so I thought I'd apply through my union, since they offer good insurance rates. Since I live in Norway, I have the advantage of national health insurance, meaning that I get free health care and am guaranteed 66% of my salary should I become disabled due to illness or injury. I realize that's not a luxury many Americans have, and I'm grateful for this of course.

One problem though is that I can probably never return to my roots in the states. I'll be stuck in Norway forever. But it's not bad here, so that's okay too.

Aside from that, there's the matter of the mortgage payments etc. I applied for this extra insurance so that I wouldn't have to worry about where I'm going to live. Today I received a letter that basically stated that individuals with grief reactions are considered "at risk" for health problems - so my application was denied.

I work as a psychologist, and as far as I know, grief is not registered as an illness - neither physical or mental. Why then, would I be denied insurance? I did take sick leave for a few months, but am now working full time.

This letter was in my mailbox when I came home from a visit to my grief counselor - and found a parking ticket on my car window. I actually laughed. What more could life possibly throw at me now?

Melina

[MartyT]

Oh Melina. How unfair life seems to be at times. I'm so sorry you had so much thrown at you this day. As for your being denied mortgage insurance for the reasons stated in that letter, I would encourage you to pursue this further ~ IF you have the energy and the inclination to do so, of course. This just seems so arbitrary and unfair, and if I were you, I would want to know on what basis this policy is in effect. At the very least, you might discuss this with your grief counselor, to see if this has happened to any of her other clients, and perhaps to see if a letter or a phone call from her to the mortgage insurance company on your behalf might suffice to change someone's mind about this.

[mfh]

Hi Melina, I am an LCSW and I've been in private practice for many years and I am one year out from my husband's death.

I checked the DSM IV and found a link that says what the manual says. As you know this is the bible for insurance companies.

Here is the link- http://www.counselingstlouis.net/learn-psych.html

As you know, insurance companies go out of their way to find reasons to reject someone...it seems this company is doing that using, perhaps, the fact that bereavement is listed in the DSM IV. Not sure if it is in DSM V as it is not out yet that I know of.

Anything to make someone's life a bit harder....sorry but I think insurance companies control way way too much of our lives right now. I could write a book on clients who were refused treatment because the insurance companies did not want to pay...you know the drill.

I am sorry this is happening to you. This journey is hard enough.

Mary mfh

[mfh]

http://books.google.com/books?id=hU_L1KUsNfIC&pg=PA404&lpg=PA404&dq=bereavement+in+dsm+IV+V62.82&source=bl&ots=DHDH_bU9lx&sig=RvuBE2pHW6FDyE2jS1eGytB4S2U&hl=en&ei=JvmcTfOYGJC6sQPGhtT5Dg&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=10&ved=0CFkQ6AEwCQ#v=onepage&q=bereavement%20in%20dsm%20IV%20V62.82&f=false

I send these in case you can have your grief counselor tell the insurance company that this Dx does NOT apply. Hope this helps.

mfh

[Nick]

Hi,

I'm sorry this happened to you, but it also happened to me. I was denied due to the fact I was in grief conseling! I was so mad I paid $100 dollars for my therapist to write a letter and then I had to wait for them to appeal. The process started in October and I just got accepted in Feb. I fought the insurance company and I was approved! Not fair and should be criminial it's not an illness. They do look for any reason to denny you or write you up I an my son have an 80% increase in our montlhy premium criminal in my mind! They basically want someone with no problems even if they are minor. I was so upset I took it for granted health insurance my husband always provided it for us from his company. It really makes you realize how messed up our society is insurance coverage should not be so difficult. I'm paying a huge amount of money for private insurance, but I have no choice! FIght back and dont' take what they say as the final deicison. All the best!

[kayc]

Melina,

Maybe you're better off in Norway, you aren't missing a whole lot here, it's as if the country is imploding! The economy hasn't been so bad since the depression and the gap between upper class and lower class widens daily...it's as if the middle class is dissolving. With so many out of work and losing their homes, and unable to sell their home...our assets are becoming worth less and the price of gas and food continuing to rise. I feel as if I have a noose around my neck and every day it tightens a bit. Be glad you're in Norway!

I don't know about us being a greater insurance risk, I never thought of it like that.

[mfh]

Melina, I agree with KayC...our democracy is up for grabs. I live outside of Madison, WI...believe me...I KNOW that. I have been one of those protesters you see on TV. Our health care system is not in great shape and coverage might be harder to get here because no one knows where this train is going except most of us think it is headed for the drink. Stay where you are!! Sad to say but true. mfh

[melina]

Thanks for your replies, everyone - thanks for listening to me.

I was so angry with the insurance company that I wrote them an e-mail before I had time to think things through. Among other things I asked them how being a widow could possibly be considered a health risk, unless, within the next few months, I went off and married someone else only to have them die as well. Like it was some sort of pattern. Now that I think of it, that e-mail might have been a little too sarcastic. Oh well - I'm already rejected. What else can they do to me?

I suppose I've been focusing on the bad stuff and not stopping to consider what's going okay. It's just that every bad thing feels like an extra heavy burden. I feel like I'm having trouble holding my life together - as though it's coming apart at the seams.

Sorry to hear about the troubles the rest of you are having living in the states. I wish I could have been there and demonstrated in Wisconsin with you.

Melina

[mfh]

I hear you Melina. The tiniest thing can throw me for a loop...and when it comes to bigger things like insurance...well...over the edge we go. Somehow we will all get through this part of our lives though I frankly see myself hurting for the rest of my life though hopefully not like I am now. Meltdowns are a bit further between etc. I wish you the very best. I wish you had been here too to protest. We are getting in deeper and deeper in this state....but the good news is that the left is finally waking up and we now know that we can not take our democracy for granted. mfh

[melina]

We are getting in deeper and deeper in this state....but the good news is that the left is finally waking up and we now know that we can not take our democracy for granted. mfh

Good! It's about time...

Melina