Death Records Now

After a person with life insurance dies, I imagine that the ins. company has various things in place. Maybe a cursory check of the circumstances, maybe some information as to the cause of death – anything that might trigger a denial of payment for excluded scenarios.

And then probably if some red flags go up, the investigation gets deeper.

However I’m noticing that to pay a little bit of money for some extra term life insurance through my employer (actually through Minnesota Life ), I’m being asked questions that are virtually impossible to answer. Example, every doctor I’ve ever visited in the past 3 years, etc. etc. etc. Stuff that I just don’t keep records of and wouldn’t even come close to being able to answer accurately. So I’m just kind of breezing through it. Example, i put down that in 1/1/2007 I had the flu, even though it might be more like twice and certainly not on 1/1 of any year.

Anyway, the point being…….. (and I have nothing major to hide from them, this is just a question about just "how picky" ins. companies are, in trying to figure out excuses to deny payment.

If I die, are they going to refer to old forms that I filled out like this Proof of Good Health, and then demand – hey – we found a record of this guy going to the doctor once, but he claimed he hadn’t gone in that year, back on his POGH form, so denying payment.

Ya know something crazy like that.

Does anyone have any true insight as to just how bad it is, in terms of ins. companies denying pmt on life ins. policies, based on really minor stuff? I would think this kind of thing would apply to most applicants, since most people really aren’t going to remember or be able to include all this crap in perfect detail. Even tho technically, the form asks for it.

The proof of death, is the official death certificate. The official CAUSE of death, is noted, on that certificate.

Insurance companies don’t try very hard to deny a claim – unless there’s a likelihood of FRAUD on the part of the insured. Policies have a two year "contestable" period, where if you die in that two years, they can investigate the truthfulness and accuracy of what you stated on your life insurance application. If they find that you lied, then they do not pay out the death benefit. For instance, if you lied about being a smoker, or if you "forgot" to mention that you have cancer.

Also during this two year period, suicide is not covered.

If it turns out you died of cancer, and neglected to mention that you’ve had chemo twice a week for the last six months, on your application, there will be a problem.

If you forgot to mention that you had the flu four years ago, not a problem.

The senate has a bill: 615 pages:
http://help.senate.gov/BAI09A84_xml.pdf

The House of Representatives has a bill: 1017 pages
http://frwebgate.access.gpo.gov/cgi-bin/getdoc.cgi?dbname=111_cong_bills&docid=f:h3200ih.pdf
– – –
From reading these two separate bills, it sounds like the Senate wants to take the system we have and augment it to get people more involved in their own health care by increasing access to clinical preventative services. It also talks about school-based clinics.* It also talks about dental health. It also proposes community based health activites.** This bill actually doesn’t sound too bad. There are still questions as to where the financing will come from and there are fine points to work on.

The House of Reps. bill, on the other hand sounds like it wants to revamp the entire system (throw the baby out with the bath water, if you will) by putting the cost of services ahead of the value of the people it is treating. This appears in several parts of their proposed bill. (see *** below) Frankly, this bill speaks of limiting our current medical options as we know them. I believe this is the bill that is causing the most controversy. For example, I think the "death panel" rumor comes from this bill page 430 lines 4-17*** where it talks about [paraphrase] if a person is apneic, pulse-less or has cardiac problems that the level of care may be full range or limited depending… There are numerous red flags with this bill.
– – –
In any case, I urge everyone to read the bills and to contact their representatives and senators via phone, email, meetings (some are offering private meetings on their websites), etc. to let them know your thoughts and ideas. If we don’t get involved, then we will have to settle for what we get, even if we don’t like it.

– – –
sources:
Congressman Connolly (D- Va) for the House of Rep. bill as posted on his website.

experience:
*When I was in elementary school in Minnesota in the 60’s each school had a dedicated nurse on staff who worked at that school exclusively. She recorded annual height, weight, vision and hearing in addition to dealing with daily medical needs as they arose. It would be nice if this type of care returned to our schools and not just an itinerant nurse who had to go from school to school as I observed while teaching first grade in the Washington, D.C. suburbs of Northern Virginia.

**I grew up in Minnesota in the suburbs of Minneapolis. We had abundant access to public parks and pools. There was a park, on average of every 6 miles and they often included public tennis courts, trails, basketball courts and, in winter, hockey & free public skating rinks. When I moved to the Washington, D.C. metro area in Northern Virginia from 1990 to present, I noticed there were fewer parks, nearly no public pools (95% were private HOA run pools) and less sidewalk access for citizens to pursue daily exercise. The contrast in availability and free access to parks, pools, sidewalks, tennis courts, etc. was a shock for me. To obtain this level of fitness here one was encouraged to join a club. Many families cannot afford a club. I think that promoting community based health activities could be a good thing.

***Here is a line-by-line list of issues that others have found with the House of Representatives bill:
http://www.economicpolicyjournal.com/2009/07/whats-in-healthacre-bill.html
– – –
Bottom line: "We the People" will reap what we sow. If we get involved in the decision making process, then we will have a plan that is more user friendly. If we do not get involved, then we have to take what comes, even if we don’t agree with it.

I really believe the core of the problem is the lack of education.

NOT the lack of knowledge about this particular issue; I’m referring to a widespread absence of understanding of our Democratic REPUBLIC.
If you asked most people on the street, they would tell you that we live in a Democracy, not in a Representative government. The majority of people don’t have a clue how to be locally active in a constructive way.

SECONDLY, Federal Government has been micro-managing and
bribing state governments for far too long. By DEFINITION the job of
GOVERNING indicates that the action be taken by an objective, disinterested, third party. When government becomes one of the ‘companies’ involved in providing goods or services to any communtiy, that government interferes with free markets.
The only ‘business’ that the Federal Government should be authorized to run is National Security (from both foreign and domestic). Domestic
enemies COULD be interpreted to include communicable diseases.
Federal Governing includes regulating transportation between states and relations with foreign countries.
Beyond that – STAY OUT of our lives!!!
If the State can’t pay for something – the citizens need to vote in more effective leadership or find businesses that are a good ‘fit’ for that State.
Anytime the people take money from the government, we become slaves and debtors. In the last 50 years we’ve gone from a country of
inventive, creative, self-sufficient producers, to a people who are dulled,
helpless, consumers. Laws attempt to enforce not only behaviors, but values, morals and beliefs. The outcome has been catastrophic. We have become a Nation divided into those who give and those who take.
‘We the People" have fallen asleep, with a false sense of security.
Our current population mainly has no idea the true cost of Freedom.
We forfeited our Freedom when we gave the Responsibility of Educating our children to Government. From pre-K to Harvard, our population is taught exactly what the current leaders believe they need to know. If that doesn’t sound like dangerous indoctrination, I don’t know what does.
I agree that we need to read these Bills, however I can’t afford to hire a lawyer to decipher HR3200. I’ve tried to read it. Ridiculous.
The bigger question is – WHY DO WE ALL ASSUME THAT INSURANCE IS THE ONLY ANSWER???? Cramped Thinking.