Business medical plans...
Discussion
My company is going to offer us all health insurance and we will have to fill out a questionnaire of our past and current medical conditions. The slight complication is that I'm currently taking rather a lot of anti-depressants and my medical history is not too great (self harm etc.)
I've obviously not told anyone at work as it doesn't affect my job and the very bad parts are thankfully in the past. Infact this job has literally been a lifesaver as I enjoy my work.
It's a very small company and one of the bosses knows someone with depression and he says some rather unkind things about her (fu****g nutcase etc.) so I obviously do not want them to know about this.
I'm guessing I will have to declare it on the 'current medical conditions' part of the questionnaire for it to be valid? If I do, will my employers be able to see or have access to my answers? I'm not sure how it works, but there is possibly an argument that they have a right to know as it may be a business risk to them, especially as I've been given one of their major contracts to manage.
If I do not declare it, will the health insurance be void if I try and claim if, for example, I break my leg? I have no intention of ever claiming anything to do with mental issues.
I've obviously not told anyone at work as it doesn't affect my job and the very bad parts are thankfully in the past. Infact this job has literally been a lifesaver as I enjoy my work.
It's a very small company and one of the bosses knows someone with depression and he says some rather unkind things about her (fu****g nutcase etc.) so I obviously do not want them to know about this.
I'm guessing I will have to declare it on the 'current medical conditions' part of the questionnaire for it to be valid? If I do, will my employers be able to see or have access to my answers? I'm not sure how it works, but there is possibly an argument that they have a right to know as it may be a business risk to them, especially as I've been given one of their major contracts to manage.
If I do not declare it, will the health insurance be void if I try and claim if, for example, I break my leg? I have no intention of ever claiming anything to do with mental issues.
I suspect you'll be asked if you've had any recent (i.e. in the last 5 years) pescriptions from your GP, but depending on the providing company they may not ask particulars (that's a long shot though).
Whether or not your boss(es) will find out these details is down to company policy and ethics; only certain people (HR/Benefits/admin) should handle your paperwork, and medical history is private so no-one else should find out about it. If it turns out whoever handles your form blabs to your boss and a mess ensues, feel free to look into bringing a claim against them under the pretense of unauthorised release of personal/private information.
Whether or not your boss(es) will find out these details is down to company policy and ethics; only certain people (HR/Benefits/admin) should handle your paperwork, and medical history is private so no-one else should find out about it. If it turns out whoever handles your form blabs to your boss and a mess ensues, feel free to look into bringing a claim against them under the pretense of unauthorised release of personal/private information.
You're alright with not claiming, insurers don't touch mental health with a bargepole!
As said above, it should be limited in who sees it. If the company is so small they don't have HR, then it should be getting dealt with by the insurer directly.
You could always suggest that rather than questionnaires, the insurer gets given consent by employees for GPs to release their records.
This reduces the risk of undercoverage as people forget minor items which can then turn out to be major.
Oh aye, I did have that treadmill test ten years ago, didn't I? Never did follow up on it as I was busy with the new job at the time.
What do you mean the insurers don't want to cover my £20k worth of cardiac surgery?
As said above, it should be limited in who sees it. If the company is so small they don't have HR, then it should be getting dealt with by the insurer directly.
You could always suggest that rather than questionnaires, the insurer gets given consent by employees for GPs to release their records.
This reduces the risk of undercoverage as people forget minor items which can then turn out to be major.
Oh aye, I did have that treadmill test ten years ago, didn't I? Never did follow up on it as I was busy with the new job at the time.
What do you mean the insurers don't want to cover my £20k worth of cardiac surgery?
Thanks for the info. We don't have HR as such, there is one person who has been given the task to look into health insurance and so if she knows then pretty soon everyone else will! I have a very good working relationship with everyone and so it looks like the sensible thing is to not declare anything and just never use it.
I did ask about the form and the answer was "oh it will be the usual thing where you answer 'no' to everything". I did think about speaking to the person in confidence who is arranging all this but I told her something previously which I just assumed would be taken as confidential and she blabbed to everyone!
She's been getting quotes and is now ready to go with one of them. If I can do it confidentially then I may declare my mental issues!! Otherwise, it's not worth it.
She's been getting quotes and is now ready to go with one of them. If I can do it confidentially then I may declare my mental issues!! Otherwise, it's not worth it.
Got the form to fill in and I have to hand it into our admin type lady once complete. It is quite detailed and also requires my consent for them to request a medical report from my doctor and so they may find out everything, which means my company will also.
Looks like I'll be declining the offer. I think I'm just going to say that I do not feel comfortable with sharing my full medical history with a member of staff and that I have had health problems in the past, which I would rather not disclose, and which would result in a high premium.
Looks like I'll be declining the offer. I think I'm just going to say that I do not feel comfortable with sharing my full medical history with a member of staff and that I have had health problems in the past, which I would rather not disclose, and which would result in a high premium.
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