Gout And Health Insurance Posted: 03-28-06 12:48pm
During a physical in 2003 my uric acid
numbers were high in my blood test. So,
my Dr. Suggested and prescribed
allopurinol 100 mg a day. I took it for a
while and after about a year I stopped
taking it.
I've had no problems with gout... That I
know of or sought treatment for.
But recently we moved from one state to
another. We had blue cross blue shield
insurance so we just moved it from the
previous bcbs to the current state's bcbs.
However, since I put the gout word on my
application bcbs has first declined my
initial application and then when bcbs
forced them to accept my policy they
raised the $365 premium I had at my old
state to $2,048 a month at my new state.
They have claimed it's because I have both
"hypertension" and "gout" combined. Even
though i've never had a gout attack or any
problems from my hypertension they claim
that the two together are a serious
problem for health insurance carriers.
Have any of you other folks run into this
problem? I have no major medical problems
of any kind and have only rarely even had
more then $250 in claims in any year. So,
i'm having a hard time understanding how
high blood pressure and gout could cause
such a response.
Thanks
|
JYY2
Experienced User , Rather EHEALTHy
Joined: 05 Jun 2004 Posts: 227
Posted: 03-30-06 03:18am
Fyi,
* hyperuricemia (high blood uric
acid level, ua >7 mg/dl) and gout are
not synonymous. About 80~95% of
hyperuricemic people never have gout in
their life time. To me, you were
hyperuricemic but you do not have gout.
* some studies have shown
hyperuricemia and hypertension are
associated with cardiovascular diseases.
That does not mean hyperuricemia causes
cardiovascular diseases. I have not
read that when hypertension and
hyperuricemia are under control, they can
cause higher risk for cardiovascular
diseases.
* I wonder if you can find a
cardiologist and a rheumatologist to help
you keep the blood pressure and uric acid
level in the normal range and testify to
the insurer that you do not have high risk
for cardiovascular diseases.
* appeal your case to the state
insurance commission.
* since there is big money involved
it may be worth it to talk to an attorney
who specilizes in medical insurance.
