Last Updated on October 24, 2017 by lifepolicyshopper
Worry Free Life Insurance Tips with Hepatitis C taking Zepatier
Just like with any serious health condition, hepatitis can certainly complicate things when it comes to applying for and then purchasing affordable life insurance. Knowing this, it’s vitally important to understand that your hepatitis diagnosis will not preclude you from purchasing life insurance; it just makes the underwriting process a little more in-depth. There are several types of hepatitis that a person might be diagnosed with, and each presents a different set of issues that must be considered when selecting the best insurer to meet your needs.
About Hepatitis
Generally speaking, hepatitis is a serious virus that attacks and infects a person’s liver. There are three types that have been identified:
Hepatitis A
Type A is considered the mild form of the disease. Although it infects the liver, it will typically go away without treatment and doesn’t cause any long-term complications for the patient. However, there are instances where the disease can become more serious.
Hepatitis A is generally spread when an individual eats food or drinks liquids that have been exposed to infected fecal matter, such as eating in a restaurant where an infected employee has used the bathroom, not washed his or her hands, and then made contact with the food or beverages.
Hepatitis B
Type B is also considered a mild form of the disease. It also lasts for a relatively short time, and most people that have even chronic hepatitis B will have no symptoms. Unlike Type A, hepatitis B can cause long-term problems if it becomes chronic by causing liver damage and liver cancer. Hepatitis B is commonly spread by contact with the blood of an infected person.
Hepatitis C
Type C, the subject of this article, is the most serious of the three. It is typically spread by contact with infected blood that can happen through sharing needles, unprotected sex, and blood transfusions in a non-sterile manner.
What is especially serious about Type C is that most people who are infected are unaware of it since it may take twenty years or more before symptoms are presented. If left untreated, hepatitis C can lead to cirrhosis of the liver, cancer, or even liver failure.
The good news for Hepatitis C (Hep C) patients is that there are now several drugs that if taken as prescribed, can lead to a cure within about twelve weeks. The bad news is that these drugs, which are fairly new on the market, are very expensive. Once the disease has been removed from your body, your liver then has the opportunity to begin healing itself. Although there are several new anti-viral drugs on the market, we will discuss Zepatier
ZEPATIER (elbasvir grazoprevir)
ZEPATIER is a prescription medication that is used with or without ribavirin to treat chronic (long-lasting) hepatitis C (Hep C) genotypes 1 or 4 infection in adults. For other genotypes, there are other drugs available.
According to the manufacturer’s website, Zepatier studies have revealed to following:
“In clinical studies, 94% to 97%* of patients with genotype 1 and 97% to 100% of patients with genotype four chronic hep C infection were cured with once-daily ZEPATIER.”
“In studies of patients with genotype 1 chronic hep C infection, the percentages of patients cured after taking ZEPATIER were: 94% (90 of 96 patients); 94% (115 of 122 patients); 95% (273 of 288 patients); 95% (179 of 189 patients); 96% (76 of 79 patients); and 97% (93 of 96 patients).
In studies of patients with genotype 4 chronic hep C infection, the percentages of patients cured after taking ZEPATIER were: 97% (64 of 66 patients) and 100% (8 of 8 patients).
These studies included people with a type of advanced liver disease called compensated cirrhosis, in which the liver is heavily scarred but can still function. ZEPATIER can cure hep C in people living with cirrhosis as well as those without cirrhosis.”
Like most medications, Zepatier comes with some common side effects:
o Fatigue
o Headaches
o Nausea
For patients taking Zepatier combined with ribavirin (helps stop the disease from spreading), it’s common to experience mild flu-like symptoms because of resulting low red blood cell counts.
In most every case, Zepatier has proven to cure Hep C and afford infected patients with the opportunity to live a longer life. Although the price tag for your Zepatier treatment is about $54,000, the price tag is considerably lower than other Hep C drugs currently on the market.
Underwriting Considerations for Applicants with Hepatitis C
Life insurers are typically very careful when reviewing and considering applications for people with hepatitis, but especially with hepatitis C. This is typically due to the many variables attached to the disease, including severity, current liver damage, or uncertainty about future treatment. Most insurance companies will typically rate (charge a higher premium) a policy for an applicant who has the disease.
Fortunately, this does not indicate that your application will automatically be declined.
The life insurance underwriter will want to know the following:
When you were initially diagnosed
The stage of the virus – chronic persistent hepatitis C, acute viral hepatitis C, or active hepatitis C
If you are consuming alcoholic beverages and if so, how much (alcohol can have a negative effect on your liver)
What tests have been formed and the results of each one
Treatments you are having or have received for your condition, including any ongoing medications
The results of any liver function enzyme tests that have been performed
The extent of any liver damage
The existence of any other medical conditions in conjunction with hepatitis C
Your overall health
Your underwriter will typically require a physical exam performed by the insurance company that will include analysis of blood and urine. They may even request that a liver biopsy is performed to determine the extent of the damage to your liver.
Life Insurance Tips with Hepatitis C taking Zepatier
If you have ever been declined for life insurance due to your health, don't assume that you cannot obtain affordable coverage. There are a lot of possibilities for life insurance for individuals with hepatitis C. One of the most unfortunate financial mistakes you can make for you and your family is to not purchase life insurance. Every year there is a multitude of stories about families that lost a loved one without warning. Their lives were instantly turned upside down, and then the bills started coming in.
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.
Program Guarantees
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 and Worry-Free Life Insurance Tips with Hepatitis C taking Zepatier, 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.