Not everyone believes in insurance nowadays because most likely, not everyone understands its importance. Most people prioritize putting food on the table, not realizing that they can save more from life insurance, particularly to those who have family histories of genetic diseases such as kidney problems.
It may be possible to get life insurance for dialysis patients, but having ideas about what insurance to get and its processes will maximize its benefits.
Importance of Dialysis
Dialysis becomes necessary when kidneys are not working properly and getting rid of the body’s waste and excess fluids. The device acts as a temporary substitute for chronic or acute kidney injury.
It creates stability in water and minerals, and it usually takes 3 to 4 times a week to sustain electrolytes and fluids in the body. It also increases to maintain hormone levels and the endocrine system.
Failing to do even a portion of this can prove deadly. In many cases, not having insurance becomes a death sentence because of the costs of such regular procedures.
Common Causes of Kidney Diseases
Learning to avoid kidney disease is the most cost-effective method possible.
By identifying potential causes, you may just save yourself high costs by either reducing or completely negating kidney disease impact.
- High blood Pressure
- Diabetes
- Kidney Stones
- Heart Disease
- Infections
Types of Kidney Disease
Knowing is part of the game. It can affect the frequency and cost of materials, tools, and machines involved in dialysis.
- Glomerulopathy
- Hepatitis C
- Papillary Necrosis
- Ovarian Hyperstimulation Syndrome
- Acetaminophen-induced Nephrotoxicity
- Acute Kidney Failure or Injury
- Acute Lobar Nephronia
- Abdominal Compartment Syndrome
The list above is just some of the many diseases that are related to kidneys. The significant causes are high blood pressure and diabetes, which can be fatal when two of them are active, even when not considering kidney disease. Taking medications to control them from getting worse is critical in reducing your risks in premium computations.
About 30 million people register with Chronic Kidney Disease (CDK) in the USA, and some people are unaware that they have a disease already. It can be insurable and prevented if the treatment is working. Working to make sure that it is manageable is crucial in reducing insurance costs and increasing the likelihood of approval.
Common Symptoms of Kidney Diseases
- Feeling the need to urinate frequently might be a sign that your organs are damaged. It could also be a sign of infection, so rule that out to avoid including it in the computation.
- If you experience muscle cramps, there might be an imbalance of electrolytes because kidneys are no longer appropriately filtering.
- Disturbed sleep and excessive tiredness can be a contributing and underlying factor. When a kidney function drops, it can cause a buildup of toxins and waste in the blood, which causes the feeling of tiredness and weakness. It creates a vicious cycle since lack of sleep also weakens the organ further. Rest is vital to recovery and prevention.
- If there is blood in your urine, this can indicate a severe problem like stones, tumors, or an infection. Treating excess symptoms can reduce the costs of treatment down the line.
- If there is foam in your urine or excessive urine bubbling, it’s a must to flush it out of your body several times and have it checked.
- If your eyes are puffy, it can be an indication of protein deficiency. When kidneys are failing to filter the blood, causing the protein to leak. It can also lead to swollen joints.
- Dry and Itchy Skin caused by a lack of minerals and nutrients. Consider taking vitamins to help quickly replenish it.
Things to Consider When Choosing Life Insurance
- If dealing with non-medical essentials like dental and eyesight, it is better to center your options around it when reviewing a plan.
- If employed: your company or sister companies may sponsor your insurance benefits. To top it off, they can sponsor your healthcare coverage, including that of your spouse or children. Some can even go beyond and cover parents.
- Always make sure to check the full list of medication benefits because some policies may not cover some drugs. Inquire about possible add-ons if uncovered drugs are unavoidable.
- If you are considering getting a transplant, make sure it includes transplant services and contracts with your preferred transplant center. Of course, maintain flexibility by making sure you have a backup facility for your transplant.
- If applying for personal coverage, consider linking your family members to yourself so that they also have insurance when something happens to them as well. Related policies may save you some costs down the line.
- Many plans may include too many unnecessary additions that you can opt-out of to reduce costs. Always go for a policy with flexible terms and inclusions.
Two Types of Dialysis
- Peritoneal Dialysis uses the peritoneal tissue in a person’s abdomen cavity that surrounds the internal organs as a membrane through which the fluid dissolves and exchanges with the blood. This type of filtration is being performed and requires the person to be asleep at their home.
- Hemodialysis is conducted three times a day for seven days, usually at a hospital or a dialysis center. This process purifies the blood that passes through an external filter to cleanse the blood from the kidney.
Consider the type of dialysis you need to identify the optimal insurance plan to avail. In extreme cases, you may have to do a combination of procedures, so going for more inclusions may be best. Consult your doctor for possible progression and treatments.
What Information Insurers Want to Know About Dialysis Patients?
These are the commons of several questions that they will ask if you are on dialysis or have had kidney failure.
- If you, your spouse, or your parents are assigned, they need to know who the policyholder is.
- The first question that will pop up would be to know who is the policyholder.
- What type of insurance do you already have? Competing policies may trigger competitive prices.
- Which insurance company did you plan to get? Ensuring that the policy covers the facility you prefer is something many people tend to miss.
- If the coverage comes from the company you are employed and sponsors you.
- What kind of expenses your policy covers?
- What specific type of kidney disease or progression you currently have?
- What Regular prescription you are taking
- If taking improper medication use, it can cause endless conditions that may result in crucial kidney malfunctions and other diseases.
- If you had any history of surgeries or treatments
- If you had a transplant or ongoing medications prescribed by the doctor.
- Your current health situation. If your health condition is severe or what you are feeling right now can affect treatment modalities.
- When did you receive your diagnosis?
- When did the doctor tell you about your diagnosis?
- Level of disease progression
- Mild
- Moderate
- Severe
How Long Should You Wait?
They require a 24 months waiting period before they can pay the full benefit; this is why insurance companies want you to start as soon as possible. Dialysis patients are considered the highest risk applicants. After all, they have a lower life expectancy than an average person.
However disturbing, it is necessary to account for those two years. It’s crucial to get a policy before it is too late. The insurance company will only dole out the death benefit only after the proper time. They will refund all the expenses you paid plus interest when you died during the first two years.
If you had a kidney transplant, you would be on anti-rejection medication for the rest of your life. In that situation, the best thing you can do is get a guaranteed acceptance life insurance policy over the two-year waiting period. There is no guarantee that the kidney transplant you had will pass over a long period.
Guaranteed Acceptance Life Insurance for Dialysis Patients
Despite the health situation and your age, you will have a guarantee for your life insurance. Unlike the typical policies, there is a requirement that you have to answer some medical exams and health questions.
Guaranteed life insurance does not require to answer any medical exams. These policies are standard for people who are looking for burial and final expense life insurance.
What Are The Requirements to Qualify?
These are the requirements before the applicant can be approved.
- Must be a US Citizen
- Guaranteed life insurance starts from 40 years
- The product must be available in your current state
Pros of Guaranteed Life Insurance
- They do not require medical questions or exams and receive coverage immediately, especially to those patients with bad health like dialysis patients. Approval of the application will only take days.
- You cannot pass if you have an existing condition. Unless you meet qualifications like the age requirement of 40-85 years old and a U.S Citizen, you will not qualify for this policy.
- Most issue policies allow you to buy for as low as $5,000. To ensure your final expenses, you should only purchase the amount that you need.
Cons of Guaranteed Life Insurance
- Life insurance policies are usually $25,000. This amount may not be able to cover your final expenses because this is not enough. You need to increase your total life insurance if you purchase several life insurance policies.
- Most life insurance policies covering dialysis are more expensive than the usual term. Insurance companies take a higher risk, which causes the premium to go higher.
How the Kidney Affects your Insurance Rate?
It is the regular fare that the applicant will be able to get a tabled rating plus a certain percentage on that rating as with so many people with these diseases. In most cases, people have Chronic Kidney Disease (CDK), which is the highest-rated among conditions.
The parameters should be assessed by agents and created with careful collection of medical records and documentation. There are several different companies, but most of them either use number ratings or alphabetical ratings.
Tips to Lower the Insurance Rate for Dialysis Patients
1. Monitor your Blood Pressure
Normal blood pressure is 120/80. You can decrease it by changing your lifestyle and food habits. High blood pressure can cause damage to your kidneys. If this occurs with other morbidities like diabetes, high cholesterol, and heart disease, it will affect your policy’s risks.
2. Keep Your Body Active
Doing minor exercises like running and cycling is great for your health. Daily activity can decrease your blood pressure and boost your strength. An active body circulation can lower the risks associated with the disease.
3. Maintain Blood Sugar
You can maintain it by avoiding foods that may trigger high blood sugar. If you manage to reduce it, you will decrease the risk of damaging your kidneys.
4. Avoid or Quit Smoking
Smoking can cause cancer and slows down your blood flow. If you quit smoking, it will decrease the chances of it and damaging your blood vessels. It will also give you a hard time in keeping active because of difficulty in catching your breath.
It also taxes your heart as it tries to beat faster to compensate. So it is best to avoid it as soon as you can. It may take years to get your lungs back to normal, but it is better late than never.
5. Drink Plenty of Water
At the risk of sounding cliche, doctors do recommend drinking at least eight glasses of water a day. Many studies have proven this practice gives a lot of health benefits.
1 to 2 liters of water a day can help to flush your body from toxins and lowers the risk of illness, especially to those who previously had kidney stones. Increased water intake is excellent for your kidneys.
6. Monitor Your Weight
Poor diet and excessive weight may contribute to damage to your kidneys, so it is a must to check and maintain your weight. Learn to watch what you eat. Consider reaching out to a nutritionist.
Conclusion
Try to maintain your health by modifying your food habits. Consult a doctor immediately if something is not right. Resolve to apply for life insurance as soon as possible, but aim for a better lifestyle for a lesser cost.
All the advice in the world will mean nothing if you don’t take action. Learning the best timing for application may save you thousands down the line. Your wallet and health will thank you for it.
