Question - Please help! - Multiple Sclerosis Message Board

grl_IN · 10-04-2007, 01:33 PM

My doctor suspects that I might have MS and wants me to get an MRI. I have student insurance which will cover the whole cost except a $100 deductible, but I'm worried about pre-existing condition clauses in later insurance I might get. I graduate this year, so I am almost done with this student insurance. How does the whole pre-existing condition thing work? Do I just have to make sure I don't have any gaps in my insurance, or I am just screwed from here on out if it turns out that I have MS? A friend suggested that I hold off getting the MRI until I can figure this whole insurance thing out. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!

MSJayhawk · 10-04-2007, 02:53 PM

Some states will not allow discrimination of pre-existing conditions. Check your state insurance department. Also, getting an MRI does not mean that there will be a diagnosis. You might talk to the doctor to delay the diagnosis until you have switched policies. Diagnosis is usually time consuming and may not be final until the future.

Depending on the diagnosis and any disability that you may have, if you need to take disability, there is a 2 year wait for Medicare (it is a nightmare!). But your student insurance policy maybe extendable. Read the fine print- you may need to continue to take classes, but it may be cheaper...

hotflash · 10-04-2007, 04:46 PM

I have a Pre existing condition and went without insurance for over a year. All it means is that you will not be covered for 6 months, after that you will be covered. I would just call a few insurance companies that you would want to be on and ask them about any pre exixting conditions. Also since you don't know what the mri will show, you don't know that you have anything wrong so don't jump the gun. There are a lot of people who have lesions and no dx. Good luck

hotflash

tuckersmom · 10-04-2007, 07:40 PM

hello fellow hoosier! I was diagnosed 4+ years ago but have been blessed with no major issues and have not needed to see my neuro. for 2 years! We applied for new insurance last January and I told the agent my story and she informed me that in this state, her understanding is that if haven't been to the doctor for a condition in the last 6 months prior to the application for insurance, the pre-existing condition thing does not apply. She did say the worst thing to do is to have a lapse in insurance. That sends red flags up and they look more closely at you. Putting off a diagnosis would be the best idea. For some it takes forever to get an actual diagnosis anyway.

There is lots of info. on our state website about this.

Take care.
Lisa

helricha · 10-04-2007, 09:52 PM

I agree with Tuckersmom. If your insurance considers it a prexisting condition, then they won't pay for anything for it (not even medication) for 6 months.
I'm from Indiana as well and I currently have student insurance too. Which is not that great because it doesn't have prescription coverage. The good thing about is that I'm going to start taking Rebif for my ms and they have a new program that they've started that will allow me to get the meds for no more than $50/month until I get prescription coverage that will pay for it.

Are you having a lot of symptoms? If not, holding off until May won't be the end of the world.
Do you expect to have a job as soon as you graduate?
I'll run into this problem when I graduate in Dec 2008. I do have an MS dx so I would like to know what you decide to do.
Which doc are you using? My neuro dx me just off of my intermittent double vision, which was subjective, and the lesions present on my mri.
Anyway, if you have any other questions, please let me know.