Denied Health Insurance After Abnormal Pap Smear

I was wondering if this has happened to anyone else. My policy was ending based on work, so I reapplied to the exact same insurance company and was denied. I had an abnormal pap smear nearly 1 year ago and it's completely normal now, many months later. Yet the insurance has denied me health insurance despite paying them thousands of dollars for twenty something years.

I have never been hospitalized, am healthy, slender, no health problems, besides the previously abnormal (and now normal pap), and they stated that as the reason. I feel really deceived since I have been a loyal member since birth.

Unfortunately that is the way insurance companies work - it's all based on risk assessment and the financial bottom line. They have no loyalty to anything else.

That's why the NHS is so amazing.

Is it easy for you to switch companies, Rose2Summer?

Do they know you have a normal pap now though? Abnormal just more than likely meant you had a strand of the HPV virus and it's normal now because your body fought it off.

Yes, they have in their records I have a normal pap now since they have been my insurance company my entire life.

They acknowledged the normal results but focused on the previously abnormal ones.

I'd apply to another company and don't mention the pap smear.

ug, what jerks! hope you are ok.

Unfortunately that is the way insurance companies work - it's all based on risk assessment and the financial bottom line. They have no loyalty to anything else.

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Yea, it's just shocking to me though.

I have paid paid paid them, and this was my first real health problem, and I get denied.

I just don't see the risk assessment though. 80% of the population will have HPV, and HPV is associated with abnormal paps, so they will deny all woman with abnormal paps? And yet, I no longer have HPV and no longer have an abormal pap.

I know it's just policy, but it really is disappointing to me.

I'd apply to another company and don't mention the pap smear.

 

ug, what jerks! hope you are ok.

I am looking into federally subsidized programs that cannot deny you based on a pre-existing condition, but coverage will be around $500 per month, and I have no condition, and not that much money, so I feel soooo deceived.

Unfortunately, even though I may not tell them about the pap, it's under my social security number, so no hiding it. ;(

any student programs you can apply to?

Ugh, I felt like telling the insurance company, you know why I have an abnormal pap, because I was raped and contracted HPV, and now don't have it.

But they are heartless anyways, so why bother?

Yeah, US Health Insurance

I'm guessing because you reapplied, and they had access to your medical records, they denied you based on "preexisting" medical conditions. Because an abnormal pap smear means you can get cervical cancer, they don't want to pay for your treatment because you are "at risk", despite your normal pap smears now.

That really sucks, but I don't know if you can do much about it. You might have to find outside, individual insurance, which is very expensive and doesn't cover much. And they may also deny you based on that abnormal pap smear.

I would talk to your employer and make a stink about it, if I were you. Hound that insurance company to death, and, if need be, accuse them of sexism. I don't know what else you can do...

any student programs you can apply to?

I have looked into them, but the one my school offers doesn't really cover anything, since it's insurance for another country, so I really need US insurance.

BTW, this really makes me angry. We women are told that we need to get pap smears every year, for our own health, and then one abnormal pap smear and we lose health insurance? That is effing BS! Insurance companies are simply not in the business of preventive health, and that really sucks.

I think more and more that this country needs universal health care because too many people are getting screwed by private insurance companies.

Okay, sorry, off the soap box now!

Sometimes they can write you a policy that would simply not cover something like cervical cancer. I for example will have a tough time getting personal life or critical insurance insurance to cover breast cancer risk, but they will cover everything but.

Group insurance works different here, they don't generally go by your personal health as the risk is "covered" by statistics as we have Provincial Health Care schemes. Insurance just covers "extras" thereforeeee above and beyond regular health care.

Of course here we also have universal health care, so for me it would only be an issue in terms of life insurance or critical illness insurance.

Treatment otherwise is provided for.

It is odd, because abnormal paps occur in many women without an indication there is something else (ie, you can come back abnormal due to sperm cells left in there, or blood from period). Is it the abnormal pap, or the HPV diagnosis they are going by?

Thats just disgusting rose.... How horrible for you! I'm afraid I can't offer and advice, but just my sympathy.

US health care insurance is just terrible!

It is odd, because abnormal paps occur in many women without an indication there is something else (ie, you can come back abnormal due to sperm cells left in there, or blood from period). Is it the abnormal pap, or the HPV diagnosis they are going by?

Just the abormal pap, they didn't even mention the HPV.

They claimed it's normal policy to deny based on an abormal pap that was ever in the past.

I not only had a normal pap recently but also tested negative for HPV, so I am completely clear, which is what frustates me.

Just the abormal pap, they didn't even mention the HPV.

 

They claimed it's normal policy to deny based on an abormal pap that was ever in the past.

 

I not only had a normal pap recently but also tested negative for HPV, so I am completely clear, which is what frustates me.

There is definitely something amiss with that then!

I would shop around for another insurer whom realizes abnormal paps are just like false negative pregnancy tests in many cases! Not conclusive of anything yet!

I feel for you Rose. I have asthma issues and when I first moved out to CA, I was thinking of looking into individual health care plans. None of them would take me. NONE!!! And it's because of my asthma issues. I asked them if they could take me if they wrote it in their plan not to cover my asthma issues. NOPE!!!

Health insurance in America is not good. Right now I do have health insurance (because of some other issues), but I am due to lose my health insurance coverage in about a year.

Question for you though, have you been covered under this insurance until now? Reason is, can you carry this insurance under COBRA. COBRA is offered to people who lose their jobs or lose their insurance based on something that happens to them (job loss, change jobs, leave, etc). Yes, you have to pay the full share of your insurance, but then you can keep your plan and they would have to cover your gynecological issues.

Hi RW-

Yea, I actually ran my cobra out, since I have been in school, so I am pretty much left cold and dry here.

One small problem and they are happy to run in the other direction.

seriously? they denied you for asthma? (i think i will leave that off mine too, when I have to get new insurance.)

On the form I filled out to reapply, they make you list everything, asthma, acne, anything super simple you could imagine.

Anything to deny someone I guess.

On the form I filled out to reapply, they make you list everything, asthma, acne, anything super simple you could imagine.

 

Anything to deny someone I guess.

acne?!?!?!?! you have to be kidding!!

I am serious, they make you list acne.

I agree with Rose, they make you list EVERYTHING like from the last 10 YEARS. And they can ALSO deny you coverage if you've gotten treatment for mental health issues (aka: therapy or meds relating to stuff like that).

US healthcare is very hard to deal with. I never knew that until when I decided to move out here and look for insurance plans of my own. Now I know why there are so many people who DON'T HAVE health insurance. Not only is it very EXPENSIVE to get it on your own, a lot of times, health insurance companies make it SO hard to get it on your own, even if you WANT to pay for it.

does anyone have jobs where their companies pay for the employee's work insurance?