| | Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts) |  "Above & Beyond" Member (500+ posts)
Joined: Aug 2008 Posts: 531 | Well I usually don't read this section of the forum cause there is no insurance company that will take on me and/or my husband. As soon as they heard Diabeties well book closed...you can immagine what they would say to the added Oral Cancer issue even though it is clear now...I don't think they would even open the door just keep it shut..
Dianne..treatment at cc at Victoria Hospital, London, Ontario...insulin dependant, Surgery Sept 8/08 Tracheotomy,composite resection and bilateral neck dissection, left radial forearm free flap... T2N0 squamous cell carcinoma. No radiation A little over 2 yrs clear YAY
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Ok I now have some insurance info. Its good news for some, not so great for me.
I deal with Allstate and the agent advised me that most people w/ cancer are still able to get life insurance or mortgage life insurance when they are about 5 years out. Of course the rates will be higher. At 10 years out, its very easy to get. He told me this would be basically the same no matter what state you are in. He said he just wrote a policy for a woman who is a breast cancer survivor of 9 years. He said anybody who is only a few years in the clear would have a very difficult time getting any policy written.
For me, unfortunately my mortgage life insurance was on my old house which was alot cheaper than my new one. When I bought this house 2 1/2 yrs ago, I thought the insurance carried over, which it did not. I have the option of converting it to life insurance with a monthly increase of $60 per month. The insurance is only for $54,000. If I let it go, then it will gradually decrease like it had before but the price stays at $23 a month. My thinking is to let it go for about 5 years, then try to convert it again. The value would only drop by about $6000. Any insurance experts out there that could tell me if its worth it. I told them to let it go how it is since I have $250,000 life insuance thru work which would cover everything necessary anyway.
Hope I was able to give some helpful info.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive  | | | | | Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,128 Patient Advocate (1000+ posts) | | Patient Advocate (1000+ posts)
Joined: Nov 2005 Posts: 1,128 | Keep in mind that mortgage insurance declines in value to you as you pay down the mortgage. My ex-wife was very impressed when a co-worker of hers had mortgage paid off when husband died until I explained that if he had had life insurance instead, she would have the choice of paying of the mortgage (which might have been at a favorable rate) or using the money for something else (like investments).
Of course the tuff point for us is when getting the mortgage requires us to get the insurance (which is really protecting the lender, isn't it?).
Age 67 1/2
Ventral Tongue SCC T2N0M0G1 10/05
Anterior Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 6/08
Base of Tongue SCC T2N0M0G2 12/08
Three partial glossectomy (10/05,11/05,6/08), PEG, 37 XRT 66.6 Gy 1/06
Neck dissection, trach, PEG & forearm free flap (6/08)
Total glossectomy, trach, PEG & thigh free flap (12/08)
On August 21, 2010 at 9:20 am, Pete went off to play with the ratties in the sky.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 | Pete:
It sure is tough to get insurance. I understand how my mortgage life insurance will decline. Im figuring at my age (46) that hopefully I will have at least another 5 years left. At that point the mortgage life insurance shouldnt have decreased by that much to make it worth the extra cost. So in 5 years, I would be able to convert it to real insurance at a more favorable rate and amount.
All I can say is that I am so glad that I picked up a bunch of insurance when I started my current job. If I wanted to change that now I would be put thru a million medical questions and probably be turned down.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | | | | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 346 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 346 | Christine,
You did good. I knew I could not get life insurance now, but
I am like you and have it at work also. My feeling was, that if something happened to me, I would probably have to quit work or go
on disability or something and lose all of that. OF course, that is the worst that could happen, but you know how we must think after going through this!!
I felt like if I could get mortgage insurance, it would at least
help my husband a little.
We just all need to live longer-that's all there is to it!!
LOL!!!
Debbie
Partial mandibulectomy and neck dissection 2/3/07. T2NOMO.
Had 14 hour operation which included reconstruction of jaw.
Reconstruction failed. Some radiation, no chemo.
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | OP Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 5,260 | One of my great grandmothers lived to 96 and the other to 108.. I'm going to set a new record for longevity for this family.. LOL {^^}
Since posting this. UPMC, Pittsburgh, Oct 2011 until Jan. I averaged about 2 to 3 surgeries a week there. w Can't have jaw made as bone is deteroriating steaily that is left in jaw. Mersa is to blame. Feeding tube . Had trach for 4mos. Got it out April.
--- Passed away 5/14/14, will be greatly missed by everyone here
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Senior Patient Advocate Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Sep 2006 Posts: 8,311 | Jim,
I thought you were already that old. LOL
David
Age 58 at Dx, HPV16+ SCC, Stage IV BOT+2 nodes, non smoker, casual drinker, exercise nut, Cisplatin x 3 & concurrent IMRT x 35,(70 Gy), no surgery, no Peg, Tx at Moffitt over Aug 06. Jun 07, back to riding my bike 100 miles a wk. Now doing 12 Spin classes and 60 outdoor miles per wk. Nov 13 completed Hilly Century ride for Cancer, 104 miles, 1st Place in my age group. Apr 2014 & 15, Spun for 9 straight hrs to raise $$ for YMCA's Livestrong Program. Certified Spin Instructor Jun 2014.
| | | | | Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 346 Platinum Member (300+ posts) | | Platinum Member (300+ posts)
Joined: Jan 2007 Posts: 346 | Well-just got in the mail and thing from credit card co. telling
me I could sign up for disability insurance in case something happend to me. So, I called them and explained that I had been ill in the past, but considered myself cancer free now. How would they
feel about me signing up? They said of course I could sign up.
So I asked them that what about in 10 years, I got cancer somewhere
else, would they consider that pre-existing.
They, of course, said it would depend on the examiner at the time.
(Sounds like I was a corpse or something!)
So I said I would just waste all that money? He answered that he quessed I would!!
So, I quess we should just pay ourselves in a little account with whatever little amount we can scrounge up!!
Makes me wonder-is "Old Age" pre-existing??
Debbie
Partial mandibulectomy and neck dissection 2/3/07. T2NOMO.
Had 14 hour operation which included reconstruction of jaw.
Reconstruction failed. Some radiation, no chemo.
| | | | | Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 250 Platinum Member (200+ posts) | | Platinum Member (200+ posts)
Joined: Sep 2008 Posts: 250 | Debbie,
No, old age isn't pre-existing, but life is - and life is terminal. Insurance guys are pretty good at twisting things to their side of almost any issue.
Lani
SCC part glossectomy 3/06, recur 8/06 glossectomy, floor of mouth, part of jaw removed, RT/chemo thru 10/12/06, PET clear 7/08
"A bend in the road is not the end of the road, unless you fail to make the turn"
Passed away 12/14/08
| | | | | Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts) | | Administrator, Director of Patient Support Services Patient Advocate (old timer, 2000 posts)
Joined: Jun 2007 Posts: 10,507 Likes: 7 |
Debbie
I think you are onto something. Since the insurance industry has pretty much written us cancer people off for at least 5 years, we need to get creative.
If we were able to invest the money we spent on insurance premiums. Which would be at top rate since as cancer patients we are now very high risk. Then is done wisely we could build our own little nest eggs.
Guess thats one for David. Creative financing to build a nice sum.
ChristineSCC 6/15/07 L chk & by L molar both Stag I, age44 2x cispltn-35 IMRT end 9/27/07 -65 lbs in 2 mo, no caregvr Clear PET 1/08 4/4/08 recur L chk Stag I surg 4/16/08 clr marg 215 HBO dives 3/09 teeth out, trismus 7/2/09 recur, Stg IV 8/24/09 trach, ND, mandiblctmy 3wks medicly inducd coma 2 mo xtended hospital stay, ICU & burn unit PICC line IV antibx 8 mo 10/4/10, 2/14/11 reconst surg OC 3x in 3 years very happy to be alive | | |
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