Hepatitis C

So you saw the TV ad that Hepatitis C is now curable. The ad goes on to say how if you are a baby boomer you should get tested for Hepatitis C as you may have it and not be aware of it.

You may ask, "How is that possible?"  Well, until the mid to late 1980’s our blood supply was not screened for Hepatitis A, B or C let alone HIV.  It was Ryan White contracting HIV from a blood transfusion that helped bring this all to light and led to the screening we do today.

So it you had a blood transfusion or possibly experimented with drugs or causal sex you may have become exposed to Hepatitis C and may want to get tested.  If you do have Hepatitis C, as the ad notes, you are in luck as there is now a treatment that is 85% effective in curing the disease.  You are also in luck as you may be able to secure standard rates or even preferred rates after successful treatment.

If you or one of your clients have or had Hepatitis C and were rated in the past due to Hepatitis C we maybe able to improves your current policy or secure you new life insurance coverage.

So what are the keys to securing coverage?  You can secure coverage with Hepatitis C assuming your liver enzymes are normal and that you do not have more than mild fibrosis of the liver.  There will be an extra increase in your premium from standard rates.

If you have been treated and can answer yes to the following items:

• You have a zero viral load for Hepatitis C
• You have normal liver enzymes
• You have no fibrosis or only mild fibrosis of the liver.

Yes answers to each of these items could allow you to be considered at standard life insurance rates and one carrier may even consider at Preferred rates.