The "Dear Health Plan Enrollee" Letter
Posted on May 1st, 2009 by Brigette Courtot, National Women's Law Center in From Our Partners
 |
It came via certified mail, which was enough to make her nervous, but a quick glance at the return address actually made her stomach drop. A certified letter from a health insurance company—could that ever mean good news? For my close friend Margaret it most definitely did not. Her health insurance company—one of the largest in her state and in the country—had begun digging into her medical history to scrutinize her original health insurance application. Nine months had passed since she was approved and enrolled in the health plan, but now the company had some concerns. Enter the “Dear Health Plan Enrollee” letter.
When Margaret called me two weeks ago, letter in hand, she was confused and a little angry, but she was mostly just terrified. Was the company allowed to do this? Why were they doing it now? Would she lose the health insurance that she so desperately needed?
This story really hit home for me because my family is going through the same thing. My mom had cancer in 2000, from which she thankfully recovered (with the help of a clinical trial). She has been cancer-free for 8 years, and she no longer needs to do a yearly check up with the oncologist. Other than that, she has always been healthy.
My dad is self employed and has paid astronomical monthly premiums ever since 2000. He has finally come to the point where he is most likely going to have to close his business and try to find a job with a bigger company because there is no way he can make the $2400 monthly premium that the ONLY insurance company who will take my mom now is charging. IT HAS BEEN 8 YEARS! She is healthier than many people!!!
This medical underwriting needs to be illegal. We need to fight against this dicrimination. WE DESERVE BETTER!!!!!!!