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CURED as of June 1st!!
Yep! Yep! It's true!
After dragging its feet since January... my employer's insurance company has declared me to be cured! No longer in need of disability pay... and wait for it... no longer terminally ill!! Effective JUNE 1ST 2013! Imagine my joy at reading this in their latest letters to me! Wait till all my doctors hear! But imagine, after their initial elation over my cure fades, and they begin to think of all the time they've wasted in medical school, and in refining their professional skills over these many years...when all it really takes to cure a stage IV cancer patient...relatively quickly and permanently is the ability to type a letter. Who knew! The first letter to arrive heralding my cure, stated that the insurance company, Reliance Standard Life Insurance Company – in case you want to buy a policy and be cured too – had determined, after making me and my doctors jump through hoops and send literally hundreds of pages of medical records... that I had been approved for two months of long term disability pay for my terminal diagnosis. Those payments would begin on April 1 and end on May 31, 2013. Hmmm, I thought...that must mean on June 1st, I will no longer be terminally ill...and therefore no longer disabled. Could it be? As my excitement mounted, I opened the second letter from Reliance. This one was from the department handling the accelerated death claim on my life insurance policy. (In case you're not in the know about this...once you are stage IV, you are legally terminal, and can get up to 75% of the value of your life insurance before you actually die) This letter confirmed what the other department had hinted. Evidently, since my doctor could not be 100% certain what my life expectancy is...and had estimated it to be more than one year...the insurance company came to the only logical conclusion possible and stated that the company “regrets to inform me that while my illness is serious, my death is not imminent enough to pay my claim at this time”! Yay me!! I'm gonna live forever!! So friends...there we have it! Cured by the stroke of a pen! Woo hoo! Of course, I've already begun the appeal process...but I thought you guys might get a giggle out of the story. Incredible! Denise |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
oh denise...I know this is not a laughing matter but you write with such humor that I did chuckle when reading this
may I be the first to say, what a**holes - I cant believe they are adding to your already very full plate by having to appeal and fight for what is rightfully yours. I hope you get this resolved quickly |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
I'm almost feeling guilty at laughing so much. Maybe Reliance knows something that you don't?
Oh! How I look forward to June 1st. Just think in less than 2 weeks you will miraculously cured! Are you Catholic? Is anyone going to qualify for sainthood off of your blessed circumstances? Oh the Joys of Cancer! |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Denise,
You are SO funny! Forget buying a policy-can you cc or photocopy the letter for me? Then I will be cured too! And to think an insurance company can do this instead of the doctors! You should go to their office and thank them in person. You could offer them some decadron and have a real party. Are you sure your HR snake woman doesn't work there as well? |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Talk about black comedy! You've gotta keep a sense of humor and you do it beautifully.
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Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Hi Denise,
This is so much better than being dead. Which I have been for 8 years now, according to my former health insurance company. A year after my diagnosis they sent a letter to my heirs, informing them that they had fraudulently claimed hospital fees for my radiation therapy as I was dead. So I called them and told them that regrettably for them, I was still very much alive. The poor call centre agent who answered my call did not know what to do. In the end, they apologized, but as we have free choice of insurance companies here in the Netherlands, I decided to go to a different company at the first opportunity. Dimwits, they are. But they give us a good laugh every now and then. Perhaps you can ask them if they are willing to trade places with you, as you are apparently cured. That'll make them use their little grey cells... Hugs Jacqueline |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
The news of your cure is astounding!! Just wait til this news gets out to other insurance companies...What a strange time we live in! Thanks for sharing.
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Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Holy cow Denise I think just a bunch of robots work at these places, no empathy, just computer chips.....
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Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Denise--I am glad you smiley icon shows that you are laughing about this. That's better than crying if it is only partly true that laughing is sometimes the best medicine. Although there is nothing funny about what you have endured with your cancer, I believe your sense of humor can only be a good thing for you.
As and aside to your story, it reminds me of the time when an insurance employee sent me an explanation of benefits letter denying coverage for a service I had received for my b.c. Their explanation was that the service was not appropriate for my "gender". When I called them on it, they apologized for not knowing men get breast cancer too.--bird |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Hey there, Denise!
Well may I be the first to CONGRATULATE you and hope this is one of those "Miracle on 34th Street" kinda moments where the judge declares he needs "authoritative proof" of "this man" being Kris Kringle. What does the handsome attorney do? He plunks all the kiddie's "Dear Santa" letters from the United States Post Office on the judge's bench! The judge declares Kris to be the one and only Santa Clause by virtue of the authority of the United States Post Office! Case closed!!!! Therefore since your insurance company has declared you to be cured, we shall not dispute it! I for one am choosing to believe they are actually correct! Ya know, I actually do have a good feeling about you, kid. I am viewing this a confirmation of my gut.... |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
WOW!! congratulations on your cure! How awesome is that!? You may want to send them a thank you card. pppfffff...wow and huh?
That is nuts. Thanks for sharing this story. You made me laugh, once again Denise! Let us know what happens with the appeal. |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
OMG! I was astounded reading your post Denise - what a farce. However, in case there is some amazing cure, could you please send me their phone number!
(I understand there are 'some' benefits in the US health insurance system, but hearing stories like these makes me a little happier we have a universal health care system here - certainly not perfect, but we are not at the mercy of major corporations). Cheers Marie x |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Let's hope they turn out to be right and you live a long, healthy life! those greedy, lying bastards.
hugs and love sarah |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Denise,
I'm simply 'speechless' ... :) |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
I don't know about the rest of you but if I can that kind of promise all I need to know is where to sign on the dotted line because I'm in! I do declare that will be one very long line! Your the best little sis! It reminds me of my last 4 mammograms they sent me saying there was no sign of cancer. ( until my new dr. Saved my life by insisting on an ultrasound and could see the 4 tumors) peace my sister
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Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
LOL - to Denise and LIen - don't you love insurance companies?! I got my life insurance paid out as my Dr agreed to say I had a terminal diagnosis but I am and at the time was also very much alive! They responded by sending a "with Sympathy on your loss" card - I was one little hot headed chicken that day!
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Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Oh Denise!
Not a giggle, but a GASP. How absurd! May your appeal come to swift justice!!! Thank you for your humorous perspective~ Keep the Faith~ Jessica |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
It's funny the way you put it Denise! I sure hope you are NED forever :)
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Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
I'm with Laurel. Gonna go with their assessment and hope that 10 or 20 years down the line, you can take that declaration out and laugh some more!
Barb |
Re: CURED as of June 1st!!
Oh Friends!
Please feel good about laughing along with me! I know the law is on my side, so it's just a matter of time until I get what I'm entitled to. It's all a game that they play...and I bet more often than not, people are not well informed...believe what they read in the letter ... and just give up. But this time...they know not with whom they mess!! I have no intention of actually dying within there ascribed timeframe - which I have since discovered is '12 months or less' - but I am going to die someday - and likely sooner than I had originally planned. I have other insurance policies that I own privately. Those, I'm keeping. But these scheming dirtballs...I want them to cough it up now! I can enjoy this cash before they find a way to go out of business, or change the rules again...or whatever. I'll keep you posted! Denise Roz - you picked just the body part that popped into my head too! Great minds think alike! 'lizbeth - THANKS for laughing - that was my goal! I think there's already a saint for drunks and fools...wouldn't that cover these guys? Amanda - I don't think this company would spring for a stamp, let alone a card! Caroline - Snake woman did actually buy this insurance for the school district. Not sure she did it to spite me in particular..but you might be onto something there! As far as photocopying goes...it's odd...you know how in old movies vampires don't show up in mirrors? Well...this letter simply will not copy...coincidence? I think not! Lien - LOVE the idea of working a trade! Bird - Wouldn't it be wonderful if just being a man could have protected you! My dad was diagnosed with pretty severe osteoporosis in his early 40s. Over the years, everyone from insurance companies to college financial aid offices questioned us about whether we made a mistake and meant my MOM had osteoporosis. Laurel Honey - I don't mind being cured! I'm planning on it! :) I just want the money they owe me first. :) Marie - this is a stupid life insurance company. My health insurance company is AWESOME! Shout out to Independence Blue Cross!! Wouldn't trade them for anything! If the cure sticks...I will def post phone # :) |
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