Thanks, Howard, for continuing to shine light on these issues and challenges. Based on your well-documented story and the personal experiences shared here and elsewhere by our AS comrades, I do wonder about the potential for pursuing legislative and/or regulatory changes in our state legislatures - Illinois and well beyond. The insurance industry lobby might be expected to use its great influence to interfere, but as Allan G. says in his comment, "I am at a loss as to why they refuse to take money from someone whose doctor is willing to say that the potential client is as much or as little a risk as virtually anyone else, given the Gleason 6, low risk diagnosis. They refuse to take your money because of their lack of understanding/lack of reasonable intelligence in connection with medical diagnoses and opinions." That makes sense to me at face value, so it may be worth identifying sympathetic political leaders -- what do you want to bet this very issue has touched some of them personally? -- to start strategizing needed change.
As most people might say, "Don't get me started about insurance companies!". I have not yet personally had to deal with any insurance company after being diagnosed with PCa. That may still come.
Unfortunately, it always seems to take pressure from a specific interest group to lobby lawmakers into passing legislation and essentially force the insurance companies to make changes.
However, my opinion would be that until Gleason 6 gets "de-classified" as cancer, that battle might be lost from the start.
I have little to nothing to say about despicable histories with insurance brokers and companies, other than that they are in business to make money, not lose money--and I am at a loss as to why they refuse to take money from someone whose doctor is willing to say that the potential client is as much or as little a risk as virtually anyone else, given the Gleason 6, low risk diagnosis. They refuse to take your money because of their lack of understanding/lack of reasonable intelligence in connection with medical diagnoses and opinions.
I am glad that I do not have to deal with insurance companies, other than the company that provides my supplementary health insurance (and I would rather pay more in taxes and have a truly comprehensive medicare, like in other parts of the enlightened world, and not have to deal with the supplementary insurance--but that's another issue) and the company that provides our automobile and homeowner's insurance. I have been truly fortunate--my previous wife (the one who died from cancer) had a very nice trust fund that came from her parents (and went to her adopted son after her death); my current wife has her own small retirement fund and social security; my son and his wife are well employed and not dependent upon us; and we have enough to see us through our years, Iiving financially moderate lives. I relinquished my life insurance policies shortly after my second marriage, see no need for a life insurance policy at this time in my life, and as a result save myself the grief and aggravation of having to explain something to people who don't want to know anything other than that you have the dreaded cancer.
I agree with Howard on the life insurance issue. My policy (30 year term with $400,000 face value) expired on my 65th birthday. The company would not renew or offer me any life insurance. I applied to 6 additional major companies. All rejected.
I am on AS for 2.5 years for Gleason 6. Original biopsy had 1/10 of 1 core positive. Second biopsy was completely negative. MRI shows nothing.
At this point in time, I have given up on applying for life insurance.
Thanks, Howard, for continuing to shine light on these issues and challenges. Based on your well-documented story and the personal experiences shared here and elsewhere by our AS comrades, I do wonder about the potential for pursuing legislative and/or regulatory changes in our state legislatures - Illinois and well beyond. The insurance industry lobby might be expected to use its great influence to interfere, but as Allan G. says in his comment, "I am at a loss as to why they refuse to take money from someone whose doctor is willing to say that the potential client is as much or as little a risk as virtually anyone else, given the Gleason 6, low risk diagnosis. They refuse to take your money because of their lack of understanding/lack of reasonable intelligence in connection with medical diagnoses and opinions." That makes sense to me at face value, so it may be worth identifying sympathetic political leaders -- what do you want to bet this very issue has touched some of them personally? -- to start strategizing needed change.
As most people might say, "Don't get me started about insurance companies!". I have not yet personally had to deal with any insurance company after being diagnosed with PCa. That may still come.
Unfortunately, it always seems to take pressure from a specific interest group to lobby lawmakers into passing legislation and essentially force the insurance companies to make changes.
However, my opinion would be that until Gleason 6 gets "de-classified" as cancer, that battle might be lost from the start.
I have little to nothing to say about despicable histories with insurance brokers and companies, other than that they are in business to make money, not lose money--and I am at a loss as to why they refuse to take money from someone whose doctor is willing to say that the potential client is as much or as little a risk as virtually anyone else, given the Gleason 6, low risk diagnosis. They refuse to take your money because of their lack of understanding/lack of reasonable intelligence in connection with medical diagnoses and opinions.
I am glad that I do not have to deal with insurance companies, other than the company that provides my supplementary health insurance (and I would rather pay more in taxes and have a truly comprehensive medicare, like in other parts of the enlightened world, and not have to deal with the supplementary insurance--but that's another issue) and the company that provides our automobile and homeowner's insurance. I have been truly fortunate--my previous wife (the one who died from cancer) had a very nice trust fund that came from her parents (and went to her adopted son after her death); my current wife has her own small retirement fund and social security; my son and his wife are well employed and not dependent upon us; and we have enough to see us through our years, Iiving financially moderate lives. I relinquished my life insurance policies shortly after my second marriage, see no need for a life insurance policy at this time in my life, and as a result save myself the grief and aggravation of having to explain something to people who don't want to know anything other than that you have the dreaded cancer.
I agree with Howard on the life insurance issue. My policy (30 year term with $400,000 face value) expired on my 65th birthday. The company would not renew or offer me any life insurance. I applied to 6 additional major companies. All rejected.
I am on AS for 2.5 years for Gleason 6. Original biopsy had 1/10 of 1 core positive. Second biopsy was completely negative. MRI shows nothing.
At this point in time, I have given up on applying for life insurance.