My work has asked me to travel for a conference in the US (I live in Canada). They do not consider my T1D “medically stable” even though I have had 7.0 on my last two A1C’s. Therefore, they will cover any accidental illness or injury, but nothing relating to my pre-existing condition. I explained if I were to get COVID, for example, it could affect my T1D so that I might need hospital care (this was the case the last time I got COVID). I explained in that scenario, COVID would be the culprit, not the T1D. They explained in that scenario I would NOT be covered.
I cannot understand this. I cannot be the first T1D that they have had come through there system, and that seems so non-sensical to me. I also cannot travel to the US and risk not being covered should something happen. This is so frustrating!
I have only travelled within Canada with T1D. The insurance company I’m dealing with is Manulife, who used to be great and helpful and now are terrible to deal with. I don’t know what to do, and I can’t see my Endo until Feb, which is too late.
@jo_jo As @ClaudnDaye has mentioned that is a terrible workplace policy. Who exactly doesn’t consider your T1D medically stable? A consistent A1c of 7 would definitely qualify as stable in my understanding. You may be able to fight the insurance company on the unstable basis if you can gain access to what is their definition of stable and showing that you meet that.
Also, can you buy some supplemental insurance to get coverage and bill that back to the company?
The thought of dealing with Manulife is mentally exhausting, but I can try. I was denied time off work to attend phototherapy for Vitiligo, which I had the support of my GP and a specialist, and is only open during work hours, so now I’m doing 10 hour days to make up the time. Manulife took months to sort that out and I don’t have months (I have to get my paperwork in next week). I asked about external coverage and my work won’t pay. I wrote my Endo and I don’t know if he’ll respond (I’m still awaiting a response from September on a separate email for him). I don’t remember the health care system in Canada being this difficult. So much red tape/administrative burden, mistakes.
If I find anything out that works well, I’ll post it here so someone else doesn’t have to go through this.
Maybe buy extra travel insurance on your own from a different insurance company? I know it’s a work trip but sometimes it’s worth it to use your own money to make work better.
So frustrating that work wouldn’t think that medical coverage is necessary on your work trip. I hope the conference is a good professional development opportunity.
@jo_jo,
The write-up in the link at the bottom mentions both Canada and the U.S. It may be helpful to read.
Also since you said you are going to the U.S., I want to mention that if you get sick or injured while in the U.S. you can go to the emergency room at the nearest hospital and they will treat you even if you have no insurance. No exceptions, they will not turn you away.
( The Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act (EMTALA), a federal law passed in 1986, requires anyone coming to a hospital emergency room to be stabilized and treated, regardless of their insurance status or ability to pay.)
And if you don’t have insurance, the charges are much more reasonable. They won’t expect you to actually pay $3,000 for a band-aid, that only happens when you have insurance! If you don’t have insurance and don’t live in the U.S., they will likely accept whatever small amount you agree to pay. They are thinking - either take the $50 from jo_jo now, or she heads back to Canada and we don’t get anything from her.