Exposed: Dirty Tricks Insurance Companies Use to Deny Your Benefits

Going to the doctor's office can be a scary and traumatic event. There is always the concern that they are going to find some reason to poke you with a needle; they insist on weighing you and then lecturing you about your weight; and in the worst cases, they diagnose you with a serious illness or debilitating disease.

The one thing that patients who have medical health insurance think they don’t have to worry about is how they are going to remain financially stable if they are unable to work due to health issues. At least that's what they are led to believe. The sad truth is that sometimes the health insurance companies deny long or short term disability payments leaving the patients in financial distress.

Insurance companies use a variety of tricks to deny payment. One of their favourite excuses to refuse to payment of a medical expense is to claim that the patient did not contact them and get pre-approval for coverage.

Many insurance companies will only cover patients who see doctors the insurance company has pre-approved. All too often patients, who have pre-established relationships with specific practitioners, forget to clarify if their regular doctor is one that the health insurance company recognizes. When the person gets ill and needs to see a doctor they don’t think twice about getting in their car and driving to their familiar doctor. When the health insurance company gets the claim information from the unapproved doctor, they deny the claim.

Before purchasing a health insurance plan, consumers need to carefully read the fine print. Clients should be aware that some health insurance companies will only pay for a limited amount of additional medical expenses. Once a patient has exceeded the amount listed in their contract they are on their own. This is especially true of low priced health insurance plans.

Patients need to carefully read their health insurance plans before they start treatment. It is not unheard of for an insurance company to deny payment of treatment sessions even if your attending physician prescribes it as necessary.

Many health insurance companies try to save themselves money by telling a patient that they will only cover a minimum number of days of recovery. If the patient requires a longer recovery period than the insurance company believes is necessary, the company will sometimes refuse to compensate for the extra time required, even if the doctor insists the patient is unable to return to work.

One of the saddest things to see is a person who is diagnosed with a life altering medical condition. They are upset, and thinking about how much their life is about to change. They contact their health insurance company to inform them of their change in medical needs, only to be informed that the insurance company does not consider the condition a valid disability and will not provide coverage. The second problem the person encounters is that when they try to find a new health insurance company and the medical condition is still not covered because it is now considered a pre-existing condition and a bad health risk.

In the event that your insurance claim is denied, do not hesitate to contact David Share Associates, a leading disability lawyer, health insurance and personal injury lawyers Toronto. They also specialize in death & accidents claim.