Pay attention if you have these pre-existing conditions.
Pre-existing conditions are medical conditions for which you received treatment before you enrolled in a health insurance policy. These conditions would include cancer, sleep apnea, and COPD.
In an international study of COVID-19 patients, researchers found that patients with cardiovascular disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic kidney disease, cancer, and stroke are most likely to die from the virus. The study aims to help publish health officials to improve how to take care of these patients.
The findings may also help public health officials to create interventions to protect high-risk populations.
Cardiovascular Disease May Double the Risk
Among the many pre-existing conditions, researchers found that cardiovascular disease may double your risk of dying from this virus.
Other pre-existing conditions may increase your risk of death by 1 1/2 to three times.
Many patients with COVID-19 have these pre-existing conditions. They’re not just common but they can be a warning sign that they are at a higher risk of death.
In the US, hypertension and heart disease are prevalent. With the ongoing pandemic, the connection between these pre-existing conditions and COVID-19 is more important.
How the Researchers Analyzed the Data?
The study included 11 pre-existing conditions that increase the risk of severe disease and death among those with COVID-19 patients.
The researchers determined the chronic conditions that put patients at risk of dying from the virus. They analyzed the data from over 65,000 patients from 25 studies around the world.
The patients in the studies are mostly 61 years old. The researchers found that some pre-existing conditions affected the survival rates of the patients more than other conditions.
However, the study had limitations.
Nevertheless, the study can help public health officials to come up with strategies to prevent and treat patients with those pre-existing conditions.
Killed Thousands of Americans and Left Millions Unemployed
This pandemic has killed more than 200,000 American lives. It also left millions of people without a job. And most people are now living in social isolation, which takes a toll on people’s mental health.
In a poll, more than 1/2 of adults in the US are suffering from mental health symptoms. They are more stressed and they worry too much because of the coronavirus. Their mental health condition has been greatly affected.
In other words, many people would suffer from a certain form of mental health condition.
This is scary because if the Affordable Care Act (ACA) would be overturned, mental illness could be one of the pre-existing conditions.
It means that even the best health insurance company could deny you coverage. If you are offered despite the pre-existing condition, the rate will be doubled.
Before the coronavirus pandemic, one in 10 adults has symptoms of anxiety and depressive disorder. In the early part of the pandemic, the number increased to 40%.
More and more people are now reporting anxiety and depression symptoms. With this continued rise, mental illness will soon become prevalent among adults. It will now rival obesity.
Health insurance companies, like Aetna providers and Cigna providers, are encouraged to include routine screening for depression for adults.
This screening could help them get proper treatment. However, it may also leave them with a mental health condition on their record, making mental health condition as a pre-existing condition.
The ACA prohibits health insurers to discriminate against people with pre-existing conditions. If you’re experiencing symptoms of mental illness, you shall not fear what an insurer will find out in your medical records.
But if the ACA is overturned, your treatment for your medical illness may no longer be covered.
President Trump promised to protect pre-existing conditions. But, up to now, he hasn’t made a plan to replace it.
The Repeal and Replace plans would still provide coverage for patients with mental illness. However, the insurers won’t pay for their mental health care.
What If You Have Lost Your Coverage Because of This Global Pandemic?
More than 33 million people in the US have to file for unemployment benefits. And these people get their insurance policy from their jobs.
In a recent report, an estimated 27 million people have lost their health coverage.
But the vast majority of them are remained covered if they switch to their spouse’s plan or if they can get subsidized health insurance through Medicaid or Obamacare insurance exchanges.
The ACA has become a safety net for these people.
If you have lost your coverage from your insurance policy because you have been discharged, it is considered a qualifying event. You can go to your state’s insurance exchange to enroll in a new plan.
Health insurance is quite complex, especially if you have pre-existing conditions. That’s why it’s so important to take care of your health.
Do you have these pre-existing conditions? What do you do now to protect yourself from contracting COVID-19?
For more news about pre-existing conditions and COVID-19, please visit our news page. If you run out of supplements at home, please head over to our online shop to buy essential vitamins. Love to drink tea while in quarantine? Buy our discounted Herbal Tea Concentrate here.
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