[ad_1]
A most cancers charity has uncovered the “scandal” of sufferers being denied invaluable respite on vacation as they’re unable to safe reasonably priced journey insurance coverage due to their “misunderstood” sickness.
Southampton-based Planets most cancers charity has described the scenario which leaves some sufferers unable to take pleasure in a vacation as a wanted break from their remedy as a “scandal”.
The organisation factors to at least one affected person being quoted £7,000 for insurance coverage for a two-week journey to Canada and one other affected person acquired a quote for £1,000 for a keep in Spain.
Both of those sufferers have neuroendocrine tumours, generally known as NETs, that are often discovered within the pancreas, bowel or lungs however may develop in different elements of the physique and are sluggish rising, with many residing with secure illness.
Neil Pearce, co-founder of the charity which helps sufferers with pancreatic, liver, colorectal, belly and neuroendocrine most cancers, mentioned that different sufferers have been denied insurance coverage due to their present or earlier sickness.
He mentioned: “The difficulty for cancer patients in obtaining travel insurance at all or dealing with the inflated premiums is a scandal and something they industry must do something about as it is currently sticking the boot in.
“For many people, the respite and morale boost a holiday away with family or friends brings is invaluable to their life, yet we are in the perverse situation where very little effort is even put in to establish the condition a person is in.”
The Horseshoe falls, a part of the Niagara Falls in Ontario, Canada (Ian West/PA)
(PA Archive)
Planets has launched a petition calling for the journey insurance coverage business to assessment its procedures round entry to reasonably priced insurance coverage for most cancers sufferers and set up a mannequin in session with most cancers our bodies and charities.
Mr Pearce mentioned: “I have written letters to insurance companies on behalf of patients in the past and I am sure many other specialists have done the same but it should not be left to a lottery of finding a company who will accept a letter.
“Even then it can make little difference and, as a result, the options are limited.
“We are calling on the industry to look at this issue and find a solution to ensure cancer patients are simply given fair access as opposed to discrimination.”
Mr Pearce mentioned for some sufferers, equivalent to these with NETs, the probability of emergency conditions was extraordinarily uncommon and presents little threat to insurers.
He mentioned: “There is no effort made to understand this as it is currently a ‘one size fits all’ approach where any utterance of the word cancer means a person will either be turned down or charged an extortionate, and often unaffordable, fee.”
To signal the petition go to: https://www.change.org/p/ensure-cancer-patients-are-able-to-access-affordable-travel-insurance
[ad_2]
Source link
