Insurance

One thing lupus has taught me is not to take your health for granted.

Less than a year ago I thought I was healthy and hardly ever went to the doctor.  When I started my new job in December and had to enroll for medical benefits, I declined coverage (I was covered under my husband's plan).  I had been considering getting a life insurance policy but kept putting it off because I didn't really have a need for it (no dependents, no house, etc.).

On January 1, 2011, that all changed.  I think the universe was playing some cruel joke on me in that I got sick on the day that my additional medical coverage would have started.   January 1st is the day I got sick with what I consider my first flare and what eventually led to my lupus diagnosis.

From there, everything changed.  Doctors and laboratory tests became a weekly occurrence, and I silently cursed myself for mistakingly thinking I was so healthy that I didn't need the additional medical insurance.  I was now branded with the dreaded "pre-existing condition"designation.  A couple months later, I applied for life insurance and was told that I do not qualify.  Luckily, I had applied for my company's group life plan last year, so I have a little bit of coverage.

I am now going through open-enrollment at work for the next calendar year.  I've signed up for my company's medical benefits so that I'll have dual coverage.  I've been tracking my out-of-pocket medical costs this year, and if next year is similar to this year, I'll come out about even.  If something should happen that lands me in the hospital or if my health starts to deteriorate, I'll feel better knowing I have that additional coverage in place.

There are other things like long-term disability insurance that I looked into increasing the coverage on, but after looking into it, I realized that my pre-existing condition prevents me from increasing coverage.  Luckily I was enrolled in the basic company policy in December before I was diagnosed, so I still get some coverage.

I guess the lesson here really is that these things can happen to anyone and that very rarely do you expect it.  Do what you can to prepare for these situations.  Prepare for the worst, hope for the best.


- a little lupie -