As one of the millions of Americans currently uninsured in the United States, I recently went on a quest, yet again, to secure insurance coverage for myself. After filling out application after application, I was, yet again, either declined for coverage or had every possible health condition excluded, even conditions I never had.
After this final battle between my health and the underwriting department of several insurance companies, I decided to request my own copy of my medical records from the same physicians who supplied records as part of my insurance underwriting process. I was surprised by what I found. If you are like me, searching out the best insurance coverage protection for your health, there are some key factors you should address before filling out applications for coverage.
Begin, first, by requesting all medical records from any doctor, laboratory or hospital you have visited in the past seven years. As this is the general time frame for storing medical records, your medical provider should be able to provide all notes and summaries dating this far back. When writing a request for your medical records, it is important to be specific in your approach, requesting all documents and providing the specific timeline you would like them to provide. The unfortunate drawback is that some doctors may require a fee to release these copies to you.
Are you aware that, just like a credit report, there are medical information reports available to the insurance carriers? Through a database known as the Medical Information Bureau (MIB), the underwriting departments of any insurance company can report information about risks and issues they may have acquired while attempting to underwrite coverage for you. The theory behind this database is one that involves protecting insurance companies from fraud. However, like credit reports, the MIB database is also subject to erroneous information and fraud. So, before seeking out health insurance coverage, you will want to obtain your free annual MIB report so ensure you are familiar with all correct, as well as erroneous, information reported about your health. Visit www.mib.com.
Upon receipt of your medical records, take a careful look to be sure your doctor has detailed findings accurately. Often, in the hustle and bustle of treating patients, doctors fail to write important notes or may often list a diagnosis inappropriately. Through education, doctors are becoming more familiar with the importance of dictating medical records but, as a patient, you will want to make sure all errors are corrected especially when a serious diagnosis was listed for a condition you may never have suffered from.
Sending certified letters to each health care provider, including the MIB, detailing the mistakes noted, will ensure your medical records are documented more clearly and accurately. In doing so, you can increase your chances of securing health insurance coverage, at a decent premium, without a variety of exclusions for conditions you may never have had.
With millions of Americans uninsured in the United States, there is a growing concern that many are experiencing this financial risk due to the inaccuracies within medical records, coupled with the details stored at the MIB, which ultimately has led to an increase in premiums beyond anyone’s ability to pay. Addressing these issues before applying for coverage will work to ensure you are given every opportunity to secure the health insurance protection you need.
