Insurance - what to do
#54993 - 03/27/04 10:13 AM
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bearyd
Reged: 12/02/03
Posts: 72
Loc: fl
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I have never been diagnosed with ibs. After having my son 9 months ago I started having symptoms. I came across this website during my research of trying to figure out what is wrong with me. I started Heathers diet and ever since can at least live a semi normal life. I finally am able to get insurance after all these months of being without. I can go directly to a specialist if I want. The question I have is...if I go in and say I have been having these symptoms for 9 months is the insurance even going to cover my colonoscopy etc? THis is so crazy! Can I tell the doctor "off the record" how long it has really been. Otherwise I feel stupid just waiting a couple of months then telling some doctor it has only been happening that long. He probably won't take me seriously or daignose me correctly. I didn't know if any of you all have been in this situation. Any thoughts would help?
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Carrie
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I would honest from the start! I don't think the Dr's. tell the insurance company whats going on..they just bill them! 
Was your pregnancy hard? My last was really hard and my IBS got ten times worse after having her!
Don't worry about the ins...just go and tell him the deal.
Take care!
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Carrie, how old are you? A colonoscopy is strongly suggested for anyone 50 years and older, and for every 5 years thereafter! No doctor would question you if you're that age and request the procedure; in fact, he'd probably beat you to the punch.
If you're not that old, I still wouldn't hesitate to request it. If the doctor wants to do other tests first, that's fine -- all the better. You want to rule out anything and everything, you just want to play it safe and "nip it in the bud" (whatever "it" might be).
There's nothing wrong with having the symptoms 9 months before requesting any kind of exploratory procedure. You simply aren't the kind to rush to the doctor with every ache and pain. Just tell the doctor your syptoms and that you've gotten great info here and suspect you have IBS but want to rule out anything and everything else. It's just a wise thing to do.
Hey, I just asked hubby his opinion (he used to be an insurance examiner). He said for you to read your policy. If you just got insurance, they gave you a policy -- if not, GET IT. Somewhere in there it will say something about "pre-existing condition." I remember when we applied for insurance for me after I retired and lost my medical benefits from the company I worked for, the policy had a section on pre-existing conditions, and it seems to me that the time period was a year. Check yours.
By the way, the question then comes up whether or not you really DID have a "pre-existing condition" if you were not officially diagnosed with it.
Does any of this help?
Bev
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<img src="http://home.comcast.net/~letsrow/smily3481.gif">Bevvy
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I think it counts as a pre-existing condition only if you have a doctor's diagnosis. I don't think that just suspecting something counts. Hope this helps. 
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Hi bearyd
I am assuming you have a PPO type insurance and not a HMO otherwise you would not be able to just go straight to a specialist, HMO you would have to see a regular Dr. first.
Anyway for the most part if not all ins. company's it doesn't matter if you think you have IBS for 9 months, that's not pre-existing, what is pre-existing is if you have already been treated by a Dr. for the IBS. That is when it becomes pre-exising. If you had a HMO it would not matter if it had been pre-existing or not. I set up our company's insurance and that's the way so far it has worked.
Insurance company's usually go by the Dr. bills they are sent not what info. you discuss with your Dr. That stuff usually is not sent in with the bills.
Good Luck with your Dr. visit. Hope this helps.
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