rexall

Thanks guys. Unfortunately, it is what I expected and am getting conformation of elsewhere. I only had an initial diagnosis last year. Next month, will go to Sirikit heart center in Khon Kaen to see how far the thing as progressed, and what the treatment options are, if any. OP said stent (assuming that is even an option) at govt horsepitaal less than B100K. Will have to investigate. Any Americans travelled to Guan so to use Medicare coverage? That's an option, but I hear the medical care there is <deleted>, and all the Guamanians go the the Philippines for serious medical stuff. I guess Hawaii would be the next closest. That was the last place I lived in the U.S. although more than 20 years ago. That is an option, but I don't have cash reserves otherwise I would just go to Banglumung or some other fancy-schmancy place and pay for it out of pocket.

Yeah, hence my black hurmor: Better pray for cancer.

Hi all, I would love to hear from you guys who have similar situation to me with these criteria 1. Have hypertension 2. Signed up for Aetna, and disclosed your hypertension on the application. 3. Got the exclusion “any treatment of high blood pressure and it’s complications.” 4. Years later developed some heart or coronary artery disease that required treatment. It is unimportant that Aetna excludes hypertension specifically because the direct treatment for that involves affordable medication and lifestyle modification. What I am concerned about is the “and it’s complications” which could be interpreted very broadly. QUESTION: If you meet the above criteria and needed treatment—say angioplasty or a stent—did Aetna deny coverage based on the hypertension exclusion? I should have dealt with this more aggressively when I signed up with BUPA 11 years ago, but I was racing to get in before my age excluded me from getting a non-cancellable policy. However, now I am concerned that I may have screwed myself. At the time, no one was willing provide more than vague answers about how broadly the exclusion is applied. If these criteria don’t apply to you, but you generally have knowledge about how the insurance industry works, in your experience is the “and ‘its complications” is used to deny treatment for heart disease? Thanks everybody for your feedback.

Thanks Pib. Very helpful, and a little unsettling. OK, this has been covered in various posts, but based on reading this lengthy thread, this is my super-paranoid plan: 1. Send original and second request forms to PA via Registered Mail as per usual. 2. Email Manila with tracking #, advising scan available upon request* 3. Use a remailing service like the one the OP suggested https://www.letterstream.com/ to mail a scan of the 7162 regular first class mail through the U.S. Postal Service. There is another similar service I have used in the past that works well too. Ironically, it is much cheaper than even registered mail ????, and a log of all your mailings is readily available, and additional layer of proof. 4. Keep nose to the grindstone and ear to the wind with fingers crossed! ???? *I am sure that Manila is less than enthusiastic about receiving such emails, and can do nothing with the info, but is is just another layer for establishing compliance should the tish ever hit the fan.

Same. Oct 27, 2022. I am in Khon Kaen (but I wish I was in Chiang Mai!)

What is even scarier is if they mail you a second notice ... but you never get it.

It just occurs to me atter reading most of this thread, that a additional layer of protection might be to email FBU in Manila with the tracking number, offering to provide a scan if required. That way, in the unlikely event you get an interruption of benefits, you will have covered your ass backwards and forwards, which "may" help with a quicker reinstatement.

That could work, "should" work. However, for peace of mind, there needs to be some way to reliably (and preferably easily) verify that the form actually got into the system. BTW, does anyone know anyone whose benefits were actually cut off? The whole thing is probably just a big anxiety trip. But who needs more anxiety when you are an old fart, right?

Who knows? But I would guess NO! That is what the form is for; preventing your girlfriend from continuing to collect your benefits after you croak! The form is known colloquially as "Proof of Life Form." ????

And registered mail is expensive enough at B350. I just send second request by EMS, B1,550. The B350 is mostly just an annoyance, but B1,550 is a real consideration, especially if it doesn't work!

I have the same problem with "disappearing" registered mail I send to the IRS as well.

You can "should" in one hand and s*h*t* in the other, and see which hand gets full first! ???? That's a clever idea, but still doesn't provide much "security" that the form gets where it is going. I bet that if your benefits get cut off, it will take a looooong time to sort it out even if you have proof up the wazoo.