We received a complimentary month of MetLife insurance when we adopted our pup from the pound. During the first week, he suffered kennel cough, but the vet stated he would be okay during a telemedicine conversation. No prescription, no in-person visit, and disappeared within a few days.
When our one-month period ended, we made the error of switching to lemonade.
When his cough returned three months later, I took him to our veterinarian. We were given antibiotics by them. The problem is that Lemonade refused to pay the bill, claiming that “coughing” constitutes a pre-existing condition. How do they manage to escape punishment for this. The cough has come back. I would like to know if anyone here is aware of a plan that does not view a cough, which can be a symptom of many other illnesses, as a pre-existing condition.
Yes, pet insurance continues to function under the same pre-ACA exclusions as did human health care. Before the ACA went into effect, I worked in the human health insurance market, and you would not believe what they would label preexisting conditions. If an adult applied for health insurance and had a cold or fever as a newborn, their application would be declined. It was absurd. Regretfully, pet insurance still functions in this manner. To get the most out of your insurance, it’s important to get it as soon as possible and hold onto it for as long as possible. Most insurance companies in this situation will probably never pay for a cough again. AKC stands out since they claim to cover some pre-existing conditions following a full year of continuous coverage. However, they actually just started doing this recently, and as far as I’m aware, nobody has done it long enough to be able to claim success. However, they are making the offer. Sadly, there are still a number of restrictions and exceptions for pet insurance. They can get away with a lot, so you really should read the entire policy.
I sincerely appreciate your wisdom. Lemonade promised to cover coughing after a year. Regretfully, it appears that he may have to live with this affliction forever. which, of course, we will pay; I just feel bad for my child and his pocketbook.
That is intriguing. Another person claimed that Lemonade had made a similar statement to them regarding covering it after a year. Which is something, at least. Given that Lemonade is not really talking about it right now, I wonder if they will start advertising this. Yes, I apologize for your dog’s expenses and the vet fees. That is not enjoyable. I hope they can assist him and it will not be too expensive. After a year, I hope Lemonade does indeed start paying the bills. Many businesses don’t even go as far as that.
Something similar happened to me. June saw a switch to Lemonade. In October of last year, my dog last experienced an ear infection. Although the ear infection is thought to be a treatable pre-existing illness, we must wait a full year for insurance to start paying for it. He had one this month, and I foolishly filed a claim, which was turned down, meaning they will no longer cover ear infections for an additional year. I apologize for not reading the entire fine print.
If it is any comfort, whether or not you made the claim, the record of the ear infection is sufficient to restart the clock. They are implementing the curable pre-existing condition rule, as far as I can tell. Before coverage begins, the pet must be free of the condition and receive no medical attention for a full year. Thus, the clock was restarted simply by taking the animal to the veterinarian and receiving care. I apologize. That is awful.