People infected with AIDS often face a critical issue of obtaining a health insurance. Chances are that due to intervening governing bodies, you may be granted the health coverage, but the stigma does not end there. Keeping and using that health insurance coverage can prove another major task facing many hindrances.
Insurance companies are often involved in many unlawful practices, which are considerably discriminating and illegal towards HIV infected people. Some of them have been outlined below for your benefit.
Underwriting is a crucial component of all insurance carriers. It is used to determine the potential risk involved in insuring an insurance applicant. The underwriter uses the information obtained to determine if the applicant meets the companies criteria for extending the applicant a formal insurance policy. The agent who writes the policy will ask you a series of health questions approved by the State Department of Insurance. California residents are protected from an insurance company from testing blood for the presence of antibodies, which has been determined as a likely cause of AIDS.
It is also illegal for any company to assess risk on the basis of sexual orientation. Many a times, insurance companies violate this law by denying coverage to single males, implying on notions of them being gay or belonging to a certain area, actively known for gay community.
When extending health insurance coverage, the policies are frequently configured to omit any sickness or injuries which have been demonstrated prior to the insurance policies in force date. This signifies that whenever the policy holder has sustained an illness prior to the date the policy was accepted, then the policy holder can't claim the expense of future treatment for that particular illness or any illness stemming from the illness.
In the case of HIV infected people, frequently the symptoms are detectable to the insurer because they deal with the medical reports daily and are well aware of conditions of past and future illnesses. Most of the time, suspecting that an applicant may have the HIV infection, the insurance policy is written in such a way to avoid future claims.
To limit future liabilities, insurance carriers have used the application process as a loophole for denying claims. If a policyholder tests positive for HIV, some carriers have declined medical claims on the grounds that the policy holder did not provide accurate medical history on the application. Many state courts have ruled that the insurance companies must prove that the applicant purposely withheld information or pay the claims.
Insurance companies are often involved in many unlawful practices, which are considerably discriminating and illegal towards HIV infected people. Some of them have been outlined below for your benefit.
Underwriting is a crucial component of all insurance carriers. It is used to determine the potential risk involved in insuring an insurance applicant. The underwriter uses the information obtained to determine if the applicant meets the companies criteria for extending the applicant a formal insurance policy. The agent who writes the policy will ask you a series of health questions approved by the State Department of Insurance. California residents are protected from an insurance company from testing blood for the presence of antibodies, which has been determined as a likely cause of AIDS.
It is also illegal for any company to assess risk on the basis of sexual orientation. Many a times, insurance companies violate this law by denying coverage to single males, implying on notions of them being gay or belonging to a certain area, actively known for gay community.
When extending health insurance coverage, the policies are frequently configured to omit any sickness or injuries which have been demonstrated prior to the insurance policies in force date. This signifies that whenever the policy holder has sustained an illness prior to the date the policy was accepted, then the policy holder can't claim the expense of future treatment for that particular illness or any illness stemming from the illness.
In the case of HIV infected people, frequently the symptoms are detectable to the insurer because they deal with the medical reports daily and are well aware of conditions of past and future illnesses. Most of the time, suspecting that an applicant may have the HIV infection, the insurance policy is written in such a way to avoid future claims.
To limit future liabilities, insurance carriers have used the application process as a loophole for denying claims. If a policyholder tests positive for HIV, some carriers have declined medical claims on the grounds that the policy holder did not provide accurate medical history on the application. Many state courts have ruled that the insurance companies must prove that the applicant purposely withheld information or pay the claims.
About the Author:
Hubert Miles is a blogger for many websites and the webmaster of Medical Articles and Quote For Health Insurance websites.
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