I’m Overweight…Am I qualified for health insurance?

Written By: Tom Martens on January 21, 2010 14 Comments

Did you know that in South Africa, every citizen is entitled to some form of health insurance thanks to the National Health Service? The money is funded by Social Security and National Insurance funds. It sounds like an amazing concept right?

The country’s budgets struggle to meet the needs of the people, providing only very basic forms of coverage or sometimes none at all while the growth in medicine and costs rise.

A lot of major businesses are finding more peer pressure to adopt a company wide insurance plan that helps employees pay for basic medical needs as well as more severe and life threatening medical needs. This will hopefully in turn allow more citizens around the world access to primary health care.

Employees who not receive coverage from their employee are forced to seek health insurance privately. Employees either take their chances with state provided health insurance or contact private health insurance agencies and discus their options with a broker.

The insurance broker will request a medical physical after coming into contact with the provider. They will schedule a date and time that fits with your busy schedule. At the medical physical, a doctor or medical assistant will study your health. One of the most important aspects of the physical is determining the quality of your vital organs, including heart, lungs, kidneys, and liver.

The doctors are required to ask you personal questions at the appointment. These questions will range from your diet and exercising habits, to whether you smoke or do elicit drugs. While these questions are embarrassing, you must answer them honestly. The doctor will also take into account your weight and if it could improve.

The doctor must also examine your family’s history of medical problems or mental illness. Through your family tree, the doctor can predict and assess the chances of you catching one of these hereditary diseases.

After the physical is completed, the doctor will fax the information over to your insurance provider. The insurance agency will examine your medical records closely and heed to any advice from the doctor. Entire staffs at insurance agencies spend their entire day judging these reports and deciding who and who doesn’t qualify for health insurance.

If you smoke or drink heavily, do drugs, or perform any other activities detrimental to your health, an insurance industry is going to think twice about covering you. They will also weigh in how much you weigh, because several diseases derive from poor weight.

Health insurance providers want to help, but they are only willing to take so many risks. Take care of your body and lifestyle and you will make a perfect candidate for health insurance.

Graham McKenzie is the content Syndication Manager at insurance123.co.zaSouth Africa’s leading Health Insurance information portal.