Planning for ALS - insurance, benefits, legal options

[whirlpool]

Not sure if this is the correct thread. I have ongoing symptoms that started a few months ago. But the symptoms worsened the last month. The neurologist ordered some tests to rule out other conditions.

my questions are:

what happens if you get a life insurance now since it is not diagnosed yet but might be in a couple of months? Will my beneficiary still be covered should the inevitable happen or will the insurance try to put up a fight? The reason I ask it if it would be even worth it.

Is there a good resource that one can refer to with regards to how you can plan for coverages regarding life insurance, credit card debt, disability benefits if one gets diagnosed with it?

 

[Nikki J]

Not sure if this is the correct thread. I have ongoing symptoms that started a few months ago. But the symptoms worsened the last month. The neurologist ordered some tests to rule out other conditions.

my questions are:

what happens if you get a life insurance now since it is not diagnosed yet but might be in a couple of months? Will my beneficiary still be covered should the inevitable happen or will the insurance try to put up a fight? The reason I ask it if it would be even worth it.

Is there a good resource that one can refer to with regards to how you can plan for coverages regarding life insurance, credit card debt, disability benefits if one gets diagnosed with it?

Generally by the time you have been seen and your symptoms are in a medical record it is too late. There are no questions asked insurance

you might look into what you can get now through work especially as it is the time of year you can change elections for January. My employers let us go up one level of life insurance without underwriting.

if this resolves consider this a warning that everyone should plan so that your family will be covered if something happens

 

[whirlpool]

Thank you Nikki.
The benefit enrollment period has ended at my work but we are enrolled into life insurance by default but limited to the amount double your salary. So, if one gets diagnosed and goes on long term disability through work then their work life insurance will still work?

Also, when you say by the time you are seen and your symptoms are in medical record it is too late - does that mean that they may approve the insurance but deny the coverage later or that they will disapprove the coverage. For now, my condition is listed as benign and the neuro asked to get back if the issue persists so that further tests can be done (she did say that she doesn't think it is als since at that time she didn't see muscle twitches on my body when physically examined for a while and i passed the strength test). Things have changed ever since i was told that.

Final question, any precautionary steps that we can take to deal with credit card debt should the inevitable happen?

 

[Bestfriends14]

If you do not have ALS, then asking folks who do, or their very, very, very exhausted caregivers for insurance coverage questions is really pointless and intrusive. You've been told you do not have ALS, so why you are living as if you do is baffling.

Your questions are more for a financial planner, not dying folks when you are so very blessed with your health.

Best of luck in your financial planning goals.

 

[Clearwater AL]

Whirlpool. First, you're getting way ahead of yourself worrying about insurance when your
Neurologist told you she didn't think it was ALS.

But as you wrote...

"she did say that she doesn't think it is als since at that time she didn't see muscle twitches
on my body when physically examined for a while and i passed the strength test."

*Key words.... " when physically examined for a while" which says she apparently was thorough
in her exam.

We haven't had any (if maybe one) who has posted similar to yours who have jumped right
into life insurance concerns. Ok, maybe two over the years.

Then you wrote....

"Things have changed ever since i was told that."

So, what are you waiting for if you are so concerned about ALS.... call for another appointment.

However, you already being concerned about insurance without even being close to a diagnosis
you are setting yourself up to be one of the many many posters who come back here doubting
the Neurologist, questioning tests, doubting the EMG, was it done right, asking for another EMG
then two or three pages later we end up telling them point blank.... "You do not have ALS!"
And.... often their Thread gets closed.

Again, my opinion, you getting way ahead of things. You'll put yourself onto a path to Health
Anxiety only making your whole situation worse.

Consider making the call.. Then.... trust what she says.

 

[whirlpool]

Thank you all. I will be calling next week for more tests. Yes, things have changed in the past three weeks. My sincere apologies if this was an inappropriate question.

 

[whirlpool]

If you do not have ALS, then asking folks who do, or their very, very, very exhausted caregivers for insurance coverage questions is really pointless and intrusive. You've been told you do not have ALS, so why you are living as if you do is baffling.

Your questions are more for a financial planner, not dying folks when you are so very blessed with your health.

Best of luck in your financial planning goals.

I am awfully sorry. I failed to notice when I was responding.