In this article, we wanted to take a moment and answer some of the most common questions we get from folks applying for life insurance after they have been prescribed Tagamet HB (or its generic name Cimetidine) to treat their ulcers or acid reflux (GERD).

Questions that will be directly addressed will include:

• Can I qualify for life insurance after I’ve been prescribed Tagamet HB?
• Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been prescribed Tagamet HB?
• What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?
• What rate (or price) can I qualify for?
• What can I do to help ensure that I get the “best life insurance” for me?

So, without further ado, let’ dive right in!

Can I qualify for life insurance after I’ve been prescribed Tagamet HB?

Yes, individuals who have been prescribed Tagamet HB can and often will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance policy. They may even be able to qualify for a no-medical exam life insurance policy at a Preferred rate! The problem is that Tagamet HB is a prescription medication that is commonly used to treat pre-existing medical conditions, which, when left “unmanaged,” can commonly become quite serious.

Why do life insurance companies care if I’ve been prescribed Tagamet HB?

Life insurance companies “care” if an individual has been prescribed Tagamet HB because knowing this fact will provide them with a “road map” for what questions they should ask while processing their life insurance application.

You see, while it is true that most folks taking Tagamet HB will be able to qualify for a traditional term or whole life insurance, it is also true that some folks may not. This is because, in some cases, the overproduction of stomach acid can lead to all sorts of “other” issues. Issues such as the development of GERD and/or Barrett’s Esophagus, which in extreme cases can then increase one’s chances of developing esophageal cancer later on in life.

Which is why…

You’re probably going to find that before being approved for coverage, the life insurance company you choose to apply with will probably want to ask you a series of questions about your Tagamet HB prescription and the pre-existing medical condition it is being used to treat.

What kind of information will the insurance companies ask me or be interested in?

Common questions that you’ll likely be asked may include:

• Why were you originally prescribed Tagamet HB?
• If it was to help you treat an ulcer, what “kind” of ulcer have you been diagnosed with?
• Who prescribed your Tagamet HB? A general practitioner or a specialist?
• When were you prescribed your Tagamet HB?
• What symptoms led you to believe that you needed a medication to reduce the amount of acid your stomach was producing?
• Is Tagamet HB the only prescription medication that you’re using to treat this condition?
• In the past 12 months, have any of your prescription medications changed in any way?
• Have you ever needed to be hospitalized due to your condition?
• Have you ever had surgery to help you with your condition? Or has your doctor ever suggested that you may need surgery in the future?
• How well is your Tagamet HB working?
• Do you suffer from any symptoms currently?
• Are you currently working now?
• In the past 12 months, have you applied for or received any form of disability benefits?

What rate (or price) can I qualify for?

Now, as we’ve previously hinted at, when it comes to qualifying for a traditional life insurance policy, folks who have been prescribed Tagamet HB can possibly qualify for a wide range of insurance rates.

Some…

Applicants who are only using their Tagamet HB to help them treat or manage AN ulcer or a mild case of acid reflux may find that they can qualify for a Preferred rate assuming that the Tagamet HB is effectively reducing their stomach acid production, thereby effectively treating their condition.

These individuals will likely be “symptom-free and not be all that worried about the underlying medical condition that caused them to begin taking their Tagamet HB. For these individuals, having been prescribed Tagamet HB will probably not affect the outcome of their life insurance application.

Now…

For individuals who may still be experiencing symptoms as a result of their stomach acid production or who may have been diagnosed with GERD or Barrett’s Esophagus, it will be unlikely that you, too, would be able to qualify for a Preferred rate but that does not mean that a Standard or “normal” rate isn’t possible. It just means that you will need to be more “selective” with your choices when it comes time to decide “who” you should apply for coverage with.

Lastly…

If you’re one of the few individuals where the constant overproduction of stomach acid has led to significant and consistent damage, which has ultimately led you to develop esophageal cancer, it’s possible that you may not be able to currently qualify for a traditional life insurance policy in which case you may want to consider purchasing an “alternative” product such as a guaranteed issue life insurance policy or an accidental death policy. 

Regardless, though, what you will find here at IBUSA is that the first thing that we’ll want to do is make sure that we completely exhaust any “traditional” options first and then advise you of any “alternative” solutions if all of those simply aren’t possible. This brings us to the last topic that we wanted to discuss here today, which is…

What can I do to help ensure that I get the “best life insurance” for me?

In our experience here at IBUSA, what we have found that works best for folks who have been diagnosed with a pre-existing medical condition where the “severity” of the condition is often “subjective” is for the applicant to make sure that they first find a true-life insurance professional who will work as an advocate for you. Such an agent who can help guide you through the application process and be perfectly “frank” with you about what options may or may not be possible for you.

From there…

You’ll also want to make sure that the very same agent you have chosen has access to dozens of different life insurance companies because, after all, it really doesn’t matter how “great” of a life insurance agent you might have if they don’t have access to the “best” life insurance policy for you! Now, does it?

Lastly, you’ll want to make sure that you’re completely honest with your life insurance agent prior to applying for coverage. By doing so, you will be helping him or her narrow down what options might be the “best.”

Now, will we be able to help out everyone who has been prescribed Tagamet HB?

No, probably not. But what we can tell you is that in addition to offering a wide variety of different term and whole life insurance policies, IBUSA has also worked very hard to establish relationships with many of the Best Final Expense Insurance Companies as well. This way, if someone isn’t able to qualify for a traditional life insurance policy, chances are there may be some other “type” of product that you CAN qualify for.

So, if you’re ready to see what options might be available to you, give us a call!