Rate Category
Posted date : Nov 6, 2017.
Dear Bird Talk,
I have been a member of CSA for many years and have been insured by Medipac without claim.
There is one facet of my dealings with Medipac that I believe to be completely unfair. In our dealings with Medipac, they ask the question, Have you ever had cancer?
I had bowel cancer in 1982. This reduces my eligibility for ‘Preferred Plus’ to ‘Preferred’ category at considerable extra cost. The medical profession has given me a clean bill of health. They have given me many tests over the past 17 years and state that I am completely cured. I have never had a recurrence, yet Medipac refuses to recognize this.
Surely 17 years of good health is sufficient to upgrade my category and grant me ‘Preferred Plus’ eligibility.
Secondly, I cannot envision a situation where, if cancer did again appear, ‘out of province’, treatment could be authorized. One would certainly be able to return to their province of residence for treatment.
Your review of the above would be appreciated.
Yours truly,
R. Parsons
Vernon, B.C.
Response:
We basically agree with you on this issue. For the past three or four years, we have tried to get members who are cancer- and treatment-free for an extended period of time, access to our Preferred Plus rates. So far, we have been unsuccessful, but we will continue to negotiate for this and, hopefully, we can convince our insurers for next year’s plan. We are also looking at the same situation for people with ‘old’ heart attacks. This is somewhat more complicated as there is always some residual damage in the heart situation.
