Low income people who are Medicaid recipients don’t need any more insurance. If you think you might qualify, contact your local social service agency.

Duplicate Coverage is Expensive and Unnecessary. Buy basic coverage first such as a major medical policy. Make sure any cancer policy will meet needs not met by your basic insurance. You cannot assume that double coverage will result in double benefits. Many cancer policies advertise that they will pay benefits no matter what your other insurance pays. However, your basic policy may contain a coordination of benefits clause. That means it will not pay duplicate benefits. To find out if you can get benefits from both policies, check your regular insurance as well as the cancer policy.

Some Cancer Expenses May Not Be Covered Even by a Cancer Policy. Medical costs of cancer treatment vary. On the average, hospitalization accounts for 78% of such costs and physician services make up 13%. The remainder goes for other professional services, drugs and nursing home care. Cancer patients often face large nonmedical expenses which are not usually covered by cancer insurance. Examples are home care, transportation and rehabilitation costs.

Don’t be Misled by Emotions. While three in ten Americans will get cancer over a lifetime, seven in ten will not. In any one year, only one American in 250 will get cancer. The odds are against your receiving any benefits from a cancer policy. Be sure you know what conditions must be met before the policy will start to pay your bills.

Cancer policies sold today vary widely in cost and coverage. If you decide to purchase a cancer policy, contact different companies and agents, and compare the policies before you buy. Here are some common limitations:

Some policies pay only for hospital care. Today cancer care treatment, including radiation, chemotherapy and some surgery, is often given on an outpatient basis. Because the average stay in the hospital for a cancer patient is only 13 days, a policy which pays only when you are hospitalized has limited value.

Many policies promise to increase benefits after a patient has been in the hospital for 90 consecutive days. However, since the average stay in a hospital for a cancer patient is 13 days, large dollar amounts for extended benefits have very little value for most patients.

Many cancer insurance policies have fixed dollar limits. For example, a policy might pay only up to $1,500 for surgery costs or $1,000 for radiation therapy, or it may have fixed payments such as $50 or $100 for each day in the hospital. Others limit total benefits to a fixed amount such as $5,000 or $10,000.

No policy will cover cancer diagnosed before you applied for the policy. Some policies will deny coverage if you are later found to have had cancer at the time of purchase, even if you did not know it.

Most cancer insurance does not cover cancer-related illnesses. Cancer or its treatment may lead to other physical problems, such as infection, diabetes or pneumonia.

Many policies contain time limits. Some policies require waiting periods of 30 days or even several months before you are covered. Others stop paying benefits after a fixed period of two or three years.:

If you are considering a cancer policy, the company or agent should answer your questions. You do not need to make a decision to purchase the policy the same day you talk to the agent. Be sure to ask how long you have to make your decision. If you do not get the information you want, call or write

If you have a complaint against an insurance company or agent, write the Office of the Commissioner of Insurance at the address above, or call the Complaints Hotline, 800-236-8517.

Ins 3.49(1)(1) Purpose. This section interprets s. 619.01 (6), Stats., to continue a plan to make automobile insurance available to those who are unable to obtain it in the voluntary market by providing for the equitable distribution of applicants among insurers and outlines access and grievance procedures for such a plan.

Ins 3.49(2)(a)(a) “Committee” means the governing committee of the Wisconsin Automobile Insurance Plan which is the group of companies administering the Plan.

Ins 3.49(2)(b)(b) “Plan” means the Wisconsin Automobile Insurance Plan, an unincorporated facility established by s. 204.51, 1967 Stats., and continued under s. 619.01 (6), Stats.

Ins 3.49(3)(3) Filing and access. The committee shall submit revisions to its rules, rates and forms for the Plan to the commissioner. Prior approval by the commissioner of the documents is required before they may become effective. The documents shall provide:

Ins 3.49(3)(a)(a) Reasonable rules governing the equitable distribution of risks by direct insurance, reinsurance or otherwise and their assignment to insurers;

Ins 3.49(3)(b)(b) Rates and rate modifications applicable to such risks which shall not be excessive, inadequate or unfairly discriminatory;

Ins 3.49(3)(d)1.1. A method by which an applicant to the Plan denied insurance or an insured under the Plan whose insurance is terminated may request the committee to review the denial or termination and by which an insurer subscribing to the Plan may request the committee to review actions or decisions of the Plan which adversely affect the insurer. The method shall specify that requests for review must be made in writing to the Plan and that the decision of the committee in regard to the review may be appealed by the applicant, insured or insurer to the commissioner of insurance as provided for in ch. Ins 5. A request for review does stay the termination of coverage.

Ins 3.49(3)(d)2.2. The committee’s decision under subd. 1. shall be in writing and shall include notice of the right to a hearing under ch. Ins 5 if the person files a petition for a hearing with the commissioner of insurance not later than 30 days after the notice is mailed. The notice shall describe the requirements of s. Ins 5.11 (1).