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What do you tell your doctor?

cabaiguan juan

cabaiguan juan

Fucking Pandas
Joined
Aug 30, 2006
Messages
10,333
Location
Zamunda
I have a physical coming up, and I'm debating telling my doctor if i smoke, or how much I smoke. I was wondering what you guys tell your Dr. Another question I have is with Life Insurance. Of y'all who have life insurance, do they know that you smoke, and how much? How much of a finacial impact does this make on your premiums for both health insurance and life insurance? If this is treading on your personal info then don't worry about posting anything.
 
I tell my doc the truth and before he starts telling me about the potential health risks I bring up that in the end we are all going to die from something, you can't live in fear of what may or may not do you. So if I decide to down a couple cold ones to many and smoke cigars- my choice.

As for the life insurance - Theoretically you can quite smoking for say 30 days and more often than not pass a life exam without nicotine in your system and you have to state that you are not smoking. The benefit to getting non smoker vs smoker rates is much lower premiums with most companies. The downside to not smoking for a month and then saying that you do not smoke is that there is a 2 yr contestability period on life policies. During the two years if you should pass on, the insurance company has the right to review all information stated on the application and if they can determine that any of it was false, they can deny the death benefit. The smoking question on most life apps reads something to the effect " have you ever smoked" or "have you smoked in the last so many years" and then you need to explain yourself.

If you are considering life insurance, see if you can find a Cincinnati Life agent in your area. They view smoking alot different than other life companies. If everything else checks out o.k. health wise and you smoke cigars, you can still get a non smoker rate from them. It will not be the best non smoker rate they have but it will not be a smoker rate either. As for health insurance, I don't know as I do not sell it.
 
Different life insurance companies view smoking cigars differently, some view it as smoking, some have a limit on how many you smoke a month to be considered non-smoking. Don't lie, they usually catch up to you, if you have to pay a higher premium, it's worth it, to me, as my conscience is clear.
 
Always best to tell your Dr. (or any healthcare professional for that matter) the truth. The only way than can help you is by knowing the whole picture.

As for life insurance, that's a judgement call you'll have to make for yourself ;)
 
I have a physical in May, my first in 3 years. I was diagnosed with atrial fibrillation, I had no idea. Since then, I have seen 3 Cardiologist and everyone asked if I smoke, drink alcohol or drink coffee. I told the truth, 3 -5 cigars, 3-4 drinks a day and 6-8 cups of coffee. All three said no alcohol or coffee.

Not once was giving up cigars mentioned.

Tell the doctor and check around with different insurance companies as to their policies.

Ken
 
I would tell my Doc. There job is to help you stay healthy and if you are not comfortable with him or her you should find one that you are comfortable discusing your health with. I am looking at life insureance right now and I have found one that allows for 1 cigar a week. So that is what I smoke, I am not a heave cigar smoker, I smoke to relax.

If you would like to know the name of the Life insurance send me a PM.

Laura
 
My life insurance policy has me listed as smoking a pipe a few times a month (which was true at the time-I only started cigars last year). Technically, however, after the first two years anything goes. If I were to take up cigarette smoking next year and died of lung cancer and they discovered at the autopsy that I smoked two packs a day...tough. My wife still gets paid. It's not a term policy, but that other kind (I forget what it's called) so I never have to renew it.

I wouldn't bother to tell the insurance company. For all they know you started after the policy went into effect. That's even assuming that somehow, cigars caused your demise.

However...
I wouldn't tell your doctor until after the policy window expires.

TampaSupremo
 
Devil Doc said:
Lying to your doctor is like lying to your lawyer. Real dumb.

Doc.
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Absolutely, positively, the right answer. I tell my doc and my dentist the truth. Always. They can't help you if they don't know what they are dealing with.

As far as life insurance goes, lying to them raises the very real possibility of getting your policy invalidated if your beneficiaries ever have to make a claim and it's determined that you lied going into it. There are a number of companies that treat cigar smoking very differently than cigarette smoking. I got a "preferred" term life insurance rate even with complete honesty about cigar smoking. You'll have to look around a bit but they are out there. Some of the internet insurance term life insurance brokerages are pretty good at finding them for you. That's how I found mine.

Good luck - B.B.S.
 
Devil Doc said:
Lying to your doctor is like lying to your lawyer. Real dumb.

Doc.
Click to expand...

I think this doc summed it up nicely.

I've found pussyfooting around the truth just delays the inevitable and wastes both our time. Now, I just say "It was another new lady friend, Doc," he writes my penicillin prescription again, and I'm on my way...
 
ditto that.


Ashtonlady said:
I would tell my Doc. There job is to help you stay healthy and if you are not comfortable with him or her you should find one that you are comfortable discusing your health with. I am looking at life insureance right now and I have found one that allows for 1 cigar a week. So that is what I smoke, I am not a heave cigar smoker, I smoke to relax.

If you would like to know the name of the Life insurance send me a PM.

Laura
Click to expand...
 
Actually... I am honest. I see 2 doctors... I still see my pediatrician, and he's cool with it. When I see my oncologist... I usually get a 20 minute lecture, which is understandable.
 
I was asked "if I used tobacco products" during my yearly eye exam a week ago. Told 'em the truth.

Course they probably smelled it on me, seeing as I smoke one on the way to the appointment. :whistling:
 
Fireant said:
Actually... I am honest. I see 2 doctors... I still see my pediatrician, and he's cool with it. When I see my oncologist... I usually get a 20 minute lecture, which is understandable.
Click to expand...


Are you sure you're old enough to be on the internet?
 
Gonz said:
Fireant said:
Actually... I am honest. I see 2 doctors... I still see my pediatrician, and he's cool with it. When I see my oncologist... I usually get a 20 minute lecture, which is understandable.
Click to expand...


Are you sure you're old enough to be on the internet?
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generally, when you are still seeing a prediatrician, isn;t the patient under the age of 18?
 
Gonz said:
Fireant said:
Actually... I am honest. I see 2 doctors... I still see my pediatrician, and he's cool with it. When I see my oncologist... I usually get a 20 minute lecture, which is understandable.
Click to expand...


Are you sure you're old enough to be on the internet?
Click to expand...

I still see my pediatrician because he's also my girlfriend's Godfather and I get free visits! Hell, I'd still see my childhood dentist if he hadn't had told me I couldn't come back. :laugh:

And also, never EVER EVER lie to your insurance agent, no matter what field they are in, auto, health, home, etc. They will check you over if you pass on, and could very well deny the claim like Keystone_Raider pointed out. And your family doesn't need that.
 
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