Hey everybody, long time lurker here. I'm 25 yrs old and have had 3 operations and have been living with a connected pouch for almost two years now (with off and on stricture and pouchitis issues).

It is AFLAC enrollment time at work and the plan i was interested in was the personal disability, since i work for a non-profit i am ineligible for disability for 6 months off of work, so this plan covers those first 6 months.

Anyway, I told her i have health history and she read the LONG list of instant disqualifications... and of course two of them being Crohn's and Ulcerative Colitis.

Game over!

I told her my previous surgeries "cured" me of the actual disease but it is not a gray area thing they say its an instant no. I mentioend some people find "loopholes" where having treatment or surgeries "fix" the problem. No go.

Anybody have any luck with getting disability through AFLAC? I feel this is the first of many denials i will have in my future. I am blessed to have had health insurance when i first got sick, and continued insurance and group plans afterwards, but i will never be able to get personal insurance if unemployed.

Thanks for you help all, without this forum I'd feel like the only one out there... and even so, I still feel like it sometimes.

-Ian

Rather than depending on the insurance underwriter for a decision (whose job is to basically deny on face value and not make medical decisions), ask who to write to on the medical board to request a waiver, variance, or whatever they call it, where the medical board reviews your explanation of your cure for your disease. If you can also add information about how little you have been sick since the surgery, this will lower your risk.

Of course, they probably don't have to do it, since regulations are probably different for disability insurance.

Jan