Last Updated on October 24, 2017 by lifepolicyshopper
Worry-Free Life Insurance Tips with Hepatitis C after taking Harvoni
Hepatitis C is a liver condition that results from an infection with the Hepatitis C virus. It can vary in seriousness from a mild condition lasting a few weeks to a severe, lifelong illness. Hepatitis C is typically spread when the blood from an infected person enters the body of an individual who is not infected. Presently, most people become infected with the Hepatitis C virus by sharing needles or other equipment to inject drugs. Prior to 1992, when extensive screening of the blood supply started in the U.S., Hepatitis C was also generally spread through blood transfusions and organ transplants that contained the virus. Although purchasing life insurance with Hepatitis C can be difficult, here we discuss Worry-Free LIfe Insurance tips with Hepatitis C after taking Harvoni.
Hepatitis C can be diagnosed as either "acute" or "chronic." The acute form of the virus is considered a short-term condition that occurs during the first six months after being infected with the Hepatitis C virus. For most individuals, an acute infection often leads to a chronic infection. After becoming chronic, the Hepatitis C disease will typically lead to long-term health issues and in some cases, even death.
Facts About Hepatitis C (Hep C)
Hep C has become more well-known as big drug companies run expensive ads to promote the very expensive drugs that are now available as a cure. In fact, the disease wasn’t discovered until as late as 1989. Prior to 1989, Hep C was known as Hepatitis non-A and Hepatitis non-B since doctors and specialists could not identify the disease.
Current statistics provided by HepatitisC.net are rather alarming:
• The United States has more than four million people infected with the disease, with more than three million of them diagnosed as chronic.
• Hep C is the leading cause cirrhosis of the liver, liver cancer, and liver transplants.
• There are approximately 17,000 new cases of Hep C reported each year in U.S. which is significantly lower than reports in the 1980s of about 230,000. Researchers believe that this substantial reduction in new cases is the result of awareness among drug users which is actually a response to the AIDS epidemic. Certainly, the onset of blood screening for transfusions has attributed to this reduction in new cases as well.
• Mother-to-infant transmission is the disease is the leading cause of Hep C among children, representing about 4,000 new cases each year.
• Although there has been a significant drop in new Hep C cases reported from the 1980s to present time, regretfully, there has been a rise in rates of infections in millennials. This may be attributed to the opioid crisis where opioid drug users are turning to heroin because of significant increases in opioid pricing.
Treatment for Hepatitis C
Until October of 2014, the only treatment for Hepatitis C with any success was Interferon combined with ribavirin. This treatment required the drug to be injected daily for up to a year and often came with some severe side effects.
Since most individuals who knew they had Hep C and that it make take two decades before symptoms appeared, many were reluctant to stay with the Interferon treatment until completion. The problem with this is that once symptoms like fatigue and jaundice are present, the patient may likely have severe liver damage. Fortunately for Hep C patients, there are several new drugs available that are considered game changers, and one of them is Harvoni.
Treating Hepatitis C with Harvoni
Harvoni, which is produced by Gilead Sciences, is a combination drug consisting of ledipasvir and sofosbuvir. It is a once-per-day medication taken in pill form either with or without food. Harvoni is the first drug for Hep C treatment that is interferon-free and ribavirin-free for patients with Hep C genotype 1, which is the most common strain of the disease in the U.S.
Unfortunately, there is some bad news for Hep C patients. Although there are some mild side effects reported by Harvoni patients, the drug treatment currently costs about $94,500 for a typical twelve-week treatment.
How will Harvoni affect My Life Insurance after I complete my Treatment?
If you are in the 95% of patients who are cured after their treatment with Harvoni, you will likely qualify for standard rates as long as you have no other medical issues or smoke tobacco. Patients are considered cured if their blood test reveals no presence of the Hep C three months after the treatment is completed.
This is a big deal when you consider that most people with Hepatitis C pay much higher rates than those who have completed the Harvoni treatment. In fact, many applicants that are diagnosed with Hep C and who apply for traditional fully underwritten life insurance are declined.
The Agent you Choose Matters
Hepatitis C is a serious condition, and as such, the life insurance agent you choose to do business with is extremely important. Highly skilled agents who specialize in high-risk cases can make a dramatic difference in the rates you'll pay whether you've completed a treatment with Harvoni or not.
Certainly, not everyone who has Hep C can afford to spend $95,000 for treatment, and since Hep C can take years to cause significant problems, most patients will go without the treatment.
If you have completed your treatment of Harvoni or any of the other new drugs, the experts at Life Policy Shopper will find an insurance solution with the most affordable rates. If you have to put off taking the new meds because of the cost, the insurance professionals at Life Policy Shopper will deliver the best rates possible as well.
Not having any life insurance can place your family in one of the greatest overwhelming and stressful circumstances possible. Not only will they be coping with the loss of a loved one, whether unexpected or not, but they will also find themselves with an incredible amount of debt that they cannot pay. Life insurance will give them the solutions they will need to get through this overwhelming time without adding any sort of financial stress. You can’t put a price tag on the peace of mind that choosing to purchase life insurance will bring.
These programs have the following guarantees
1. First Day Coverage. You are fully protected the very first day your coverage goes into effect with no exclusions and no waiting period.
2. Ease of issue. No physical exams.
3. Your premiums will never go up. Lock into a rate at your current age and the cost will never increase regardless of changes to your health and age.
4. You benefits will never go down. Regardless of changes to your health and age.
5. All programs build cash values.
6. The benefit is paid to your beneficiary tax free on the worst week of their life.
7. Your policy can never be cancelled as long as premium payments are made.
8. This is a protected asset that you will never be forced to liquidate.
Seniors looking for a state regulated final expense life insurance policy or a whole life burial plan often have medical impairments and conditions that may raise the cost of these benefits. We keep track of these medical impairments and conditions and contract with several carriers so we can find the most benefits for the amount of money that you spend. Here we will review what we might see as we field underwrite the COPD medical condition. We can help you find first day coverage at a standard rate.
3 Top Reasons why folks use these programs
1. Because they do not have a DEDICATED amount for their funeral or final expenses
2. Because they’ve recently checked the pricing on what they currently have in place. They want to see if they can find more benefits than what they currently have.
3. Because they want to leave behind a legacy. Income for a surving spouse, money for grandkids, or to charity (Cancer Society, Church, etc)
For more information about Worry Free Life Insurance tips with Hepatitis C after taking Harvoni, use our world-class quote engine to receive a free and confidential quote or contact the insurance professionals at Life Policy Shopper through our website at your convenience.