Applying for long term care insurance

[jumpinjiminy]

As uncanny as this is, the week before I began having paresthesias last summer, we had an LTC insurance salesman come for a visit and almost filled out the app while he was at the table.Here I am, early 40s with an almost immaculate medical record, and he commended me on thinking ahead when most people don't call him until they're in their 60s and most don't qualify anymore. And then Bam! The paresthesias hit, then the leg weakness, ataxia, nystagmus, and numbness. Too late for me, he said. It's better to wait until the testing is all finished, see what they come up with and go from there.

He's been sending me emails and today called again. I told him my tests showed not much of anything, they don't know what it is but are hung up on migraines and/or hypersensitivities to meds currently. He said let's submit a couple of apps and see how it goes.

If I'm able to snag myself an LTC policy right now, it would be a load off my mind. Has anyone else been able to secure one while in limbo?

[artteacher]

I just got rejected for LTC insurance and I am not dx yet. I had inquired about it from my insurance agent almost 5 years ago (before any thought of ms was in my life) but did not make a decision to do it. I was told I was too young to really worry about it.

I started getting tested for MS in August of 2009. I decided to really get serious about get the insurance and filled out the application in spring of 2010. My job status was going to change (reduction in force) in August of 2010 and I got cold feet to add another expense with a lower salary and possible no health insurance.

This winter I decided to try to get it no matter what my finances were and I figured it might be my last chance. But evidently one of my doctors or the testing in my records tipped them off. I am waiting for a reverse release so I can find out exactly what caused them to reject me. I also have a rider on my life insurance due to asthma and we tried to get that removed since I would consider it controlled but that did not happen either.

So the long story short, don't procrastinate on this. If you have not been dx and have an opportunity to get LTC insurance, jump on it.

[ClearBlueSky]

I would say since you never know what the future holds, get long term insurance.

[jumpinjiminy]

I've had a lot of symptoms and a lot of testing come back normal. It's a craps shoot for sure. If the neuro picked up a positive babinski on my last neuro exam (I'm not sure if it was or not, the first stroke acted like one, but the second didn't), I'm sure it will be an instant reject.

I did have an RAPD and slight loss of color vision on one exam, but it cleared, the VEP came back normal and they decided it was caused by migraines.

My last flare up was documented as a medication reaction to the migraine medications.

If they do reject for LTC, he has a company that covers in-home care under a short term disability policy that might not reject the app. It's a lot less expensive and covers in-home care for up to a year. Something is better than nothing, right?

[kudos]

I got LTC through my previous employer. Luckilly the application didn't ask about pre-existing conditions. It might be harder to get on your own but is worth a try. Make sure to be honest because otherwise it might come back to bite you, but remember you don't need to disclose anything they don't specifically ask about. Good luck!

[chalknpens]

expensive

I responded to an AARP offer, and when the insurance man called, I told him I had MS, and he said I would be ineligible, but maybe we could get a policy for my husband, as he is in "good health" (I am in good health, too - but stuck with this diagnosis. No relapses, very mild symptoms) When he told me what a policy would cost I almost choked - half my mortgage, every month. No way we could do that.

What will be, will be. Those policies sound like pie in the sky to me.

[jumpinjiminy]

The quote I got before everything went pear shaped was $100/month. We will see what it turns out to be this time around, only nine months later.

[jumpinjiminy]

Just an update on this, in case anyone is curious, the agent went through some questions on the long term care application and while I was telling him of what's happened in the last year, he pretty much informed me the application would be denied. In which case, it's better not to apply at all because in case this is a short term anomaly, a person doesn't want to get denied and ruin their chances of qualifying later down the road.

However, because I don't have a diagnosis and it hasn't been formally determined there is an actual nervous system disorder, I will likely qualify for short term care insurance.

The pre-existing exclusion is six months. Other than that, it takes effect on day one. It covers in-home care including custodial or home health aide duties as well as rehab center and nursing home care. The benefit period is 360 days and as long as your condition improves and you don't use up the first 6 months of benefits with the first claim, they reinstate the full 360 days one time.

The other policy covers facility care only - rehab or nursing home - and will reinforce your benefits repeatedly up to 720 days as long as you don't spend more than six months straight in a nursing home at any one time. Health improvement is not a requirement as it is with the other policies.

For short term policies, they don't do an extensive review of medical records like the long term care policies require. They have a two year window where they are legally allowed to deny claims based upon what they consider to be fraudulent statements on the applications.

We discussed this at length, seeing as how I have no diagnosis and nobody has given me a firm response one way or another that this is a nervous system disorder, his advice was to go with the medical decisions thus far and answer no. It was very difficult to answer some of the questions based upon what was happening. But considering there has been no confirmation by formal neurological testing, the best answer would be no. His opinion being I was answering the questions to the best of my ability and understanding, which is true.

If I'm accepted, I think the in-home care policy, although despite it being twice the price, would be the best to go with for now.

So any of you limbolanders out there who don't have a diagnosis, as long as you haven't required assistance with any activities of daily living in the past five years and can answer no to any of the other conditions upon questioning, short term care insurance is a possibility.

[jumpinjiminy]

Put in an app. Crossing fingers it's accepted. Wish me luck!

[chalknpens]

I do wish you good luck with this. You didn't mention the cost of the policies ... for me, it would have been a lot of money to invest "in case", and would have affected our quality of life now. Please be careful ... maybe talk with a financial advisor to look at other options that would store your money if needed for care but also be available to you and yours for other purposes, as care may not be needed. There are a lot of people here who haven't needed outside care.

[jumpinjiminy]

That was one of my concerns. It looks like everybody does quite well for themselves, unless it's just not talked about much. My husband is a little bit older than me and had some significant health problems. I have no extended network of family or friends nearby to help out because I'm a transplant here from another area.

We will not be able to save enough in time to cover these types of expenses. There is nothing to invest in right now that would make it worthwhile. For $50/month, they will cover up to $100/day for home health services, assisted living, or long term facility, adjusts upward every year toward inflation.

It will bring me peace of mind in case the rain decides to pour in the near future. We can swing the premiums for now, at least until the government shows it's hand on the affordable care act for long term care coverage. Until then, this will do.

Wish I had a crystal ball and could see what the future holds. But I don't, and felt it would be worthwhile to pursue this while I might still qualify.