Denied

So after supplying some additional information from the vet for my pet insurance claim I received a 100% denial of payment on everything submitted due to pre-existing conditions. Towards the end of last year I switched pet insurance companies because my old carrier had greatly reduced benefits while increasing costs, something I believe insurance companies intentionally do to get higher risk subjects off their books. Elsa is at the age when medical issues become more commonplace.

So I signed on with a new carrier that I heard good things about however when I did so I gave no thought to how that would open me up to potential issues with pre-existing conditions not being covered. When I signed on part of the requirement was to submit a health history which was provided by my vet. In that history there was documentation regarding how some of her kidney numbers were elevated but not to a dangerous level. That was all that is necessary for the insurance company to blanket deny everything associated with the claims which total several thousand dollars at this point.

I called in and talked to a customer service rep making the point that Elsa had never had any sort of treatment or suggestion of treatment for kidney issues prior to the weekend where she threw up repeatedly after eating a sock. She suggested I submit a written appeal to the claim adjusters, which I did. Last night I received a very detailed explanation of everything they saw in the vets medical notes, some of which I had not seen nor was aware of. It’s very clear that they will not be paying out any medical expenses related to this issue, great.

I feel like it’s partly my fault for not thinking the conversations I had with the vet last year about her elevated values would escalate into something this serious. If I did I would have been better off staying with the old insurance company so I would at least be eligible for partial reimbursement. Instead I am left holding the tab for everything. This is the exact scenario I have carried health insurance on her for and now it was basically wasted.

As another part of her treatment I ordered expensive special dog food that is low in protein and phosphorus, something that is designed to be easier on the kidneys. I gave her some in addition to the grilled chicken we make for her last night. She ate some of it but was not crazy about it. This morning I tried using it as a condiment on the FreshPet roll I cut up and warmed for her. She mostly turned up her nose at it. You can imagine the frustration I am experiencing on multiple levels.

I am going to contact the vet today and ask if the appetite stimulant is ok to give her long term. Since we stopped giving her that she has been definitely consuming less calories and become more difficult to get to eat anything other than chicken, treats or the Fresh Pet but all of these have to be fed to her by hand one piece at a time. I am also going to ask the vet about some of the information the insurance adjuster provided me as it raises questions for me about some of the decisions that have been made regarding her care along the way.