Duncan Roberts

Today we got an email at work about getting a new benefit provider next year. As part of the transition they are asking us to fill out a questionnaire that will be sent to various insurance companies. This is a summary of it.

Please have the following information ready before you begin

In order to provide coverage information to all Medical Carriers, XXX must collect quite a bit of information.
While you can save your progress and stop at any time, having the following information readily available will
help you to get through the XXX Interview quickly and easily.

Who will be covered by your insurance:
•Just you, you and your spouse, you and your dependent children, or your family
•If you plan to waive coverage, please explain why and have information about which carrier provides
your current coverage

Information about yourself:
•Date of birth (please use MM/DD/YYYY format)
•Date of marriage, if married
•Home address and phone number
•Height and weight
•Name and phone number of your primary care physician
•Your employer's name, your occupation, date of hire, and number of hours worked per week
•If electing Life Insurance coverage, whether your income is reported by W2 or 1099

Information about your spouse and dependents
•Full legal name of individuals
•Dates of birth
•Social Security Numbers
•Heights and Weights
•Names and phone numbers of primary care physicians

If you have prior or existing medical coverage:
•Policy holder's name and Social Security Number
•If the coverage is current, whether or not it will expire or continue when the new coverage becomes
effective
•Name, address, and telephone of insurance carrier
•Policy number
•Effective/End dates of coverage
•Coverage type (medical, dental, etc.) and who is covered (e.g., employee only, employee and spouse,
etc.)
•Names of covered individuals (e.g., you and your dependents)

If you or one of your dependents is eligible for Medicare:
•Policy holder's name
•Medicare number
•Effective dates for Part A and Part B (if applicable)
•Reason for eligibility (Age, ESRD, or Disability)

If applying for Life Insurance:
•Full legal names and Social Security Numbers of beneficiaries
•Date of birth for each beneficiary
•The beneficiary's relationship to you
•Whether the beneficiary is a primary or contigent beneficiary and his/her split percent

Information about you and your dependents' medical history
XXX will walk you through a series of questions designed to gather any required information. To provide
details, you will need the following:
•Name of Medical Conditions
•Any medications taken, including dosage levels and frequency
•Treatment dates
•Details about any past or anticipated hospitalizations or surgeries
•You'll also have the opportunity to provide specific information about the condition's description, diagnosis, prognosis and treatment.


Since I am declining coverage I was told I just had to log in and say I waive coverage. However in order to do so I still have to give them permission to send all my info to the insurance companies, give the insurance companies permission to use info from my healthcare providers and to have my info stored for a minimum of 1 year. I am now going back and forth with the benefits company trying to reach some common ground. Am I being too harsh with not wanting to give all this permission away as well as not wanting to fill out such a thing?

md95065

No.

Just don't fill it out.

What's the worst that can happen - they won't enroll you in the coverage that you don't want anyway ...

Duncan Roberts

It's a little more complicated than that I believe since there are certain regulations that mean you have authorize that you waive coverage. I'm hoping I just get to sign a waiver on it's own rather than go through the online blanket stuff.

TimNiceBut

I don't think you're too paranoid either, there is no need for them to have this data and obviously what they don't have, they can't sell on, leave on the back seat of a taxi or down at the pub.

Bob

Any chance of just filling in zeros on the form?

Does seem a bit harsh and not really having much in the way of data protection over here, don't blame you in not wanting to go to the hassle..

AdobePinon

Even if you wanted coverage, I would judge most of that info as being irrelevant for the purposes of determining a carrier. I say f#%k 'em.

Michael

Are you employed by a small company? Generally when a large company changes providers, the potential provider just takes the ages of the employees and dependents and possibly the previous years health care expenses and generates a quote based on that information. Generally this will give a ballpark figure that won't be very far off due to the large number of people covered.

In the case of a small company. it can become more complex due to the fact that they will be insuring a small number of employees and one or two serious medical conditions can change the cost of the plan dramatically.

Even though you are declining coverage, you still have the option to sign up during the open enrollment period.

AdobePinon

True, but my curmudgeony bone says they should be forced to bet like the rest of us. And..... they should either ask for an SSN and gather the data themselves to the best of their ability within the law, or take the respondent at face value. That's way too much info to be giving anyone you may not have a business relationship with.

Maggs

No, definitely not paranoid. I never give my SSN to any health provider (a bit different to your situation I know). They don't like it but I very politely say I don't give that out.

Maggie

ian-mstm

Give them false information. It isn't a crime to lie to an insurance company unless you're seeking to benefit from that lie.

Ian

chartreuse

No, you're not wrong. I'd stick to my guns until somebody in HR got up off their backside and did two minutes work to produce a paper form for waiving coverage.

Duncan Roberts

Ha, ha, I win. Paper waiver forms requiring basic demographic info only are being sent over, no agreeing to a bunch of terms and conditions, no questionnaire.

chartreuse

Bluegrass Lass

No I don't think you are being harsh. In the past, when my husband or I declined coverage, there was no further info required. He/I checked a box saying "I decline coverage" and signed/dated it and that was it.

I would not provide this information either. They don't need to delve into your private life if you have no intention of using their insurance.

Edit: Just saw your update. Glad to see it worked out.

meauxna

Win!
I was on the 'you're not too paranoid or harsh' camp.