On the verge of osteopenia

A snowHead

I am presently being treated for osteopenia by my GP. Although my blood tests and a bone density scan show my bone density is just outside what would be considered osteopenia, my GP decided I should take medication for my condition and I am happy to do that.

My question here is what do I need to say to my ski insurance and how is it likely to be affected? Anybody any experience of a situation such as this?

Cheers.

A snowHead

IME - Though not with Osteopenia - Is that you need to discuss the issue with the insurance company and they will guide you. Try a variety of options, as some deal with pre-existing conditions better than others.

FWIW. The SCGB has recently changed its provider - and they have a reasonably long list of conditions that you don't have to declare. You can take out their insurance as a non member.

This website has practical info: https://manypets.com/uk/articles/top-10-travel-insurance/

Make sure - if going to EU - that you have an up to date GHIC (EHIC) card.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

It will depend on your insurer. If you are taking medication for it, it doesn't really matter what your bone density is, it is the need for treatment that will affect the premium. A diagnosis of osteopenia will increase it less than osteoporosis would. Someone I know had no increase in premium when taking one tablet a day for high blood pressure, but when a 2nd tablet was added there was quite an increase.

You need to Login to know who's really who.

Cheers Old. Your ref looks very helpful. I realise I definitely have to discuss it with my insurers. Not to declare a condition could invalidate all my insurance! I was wondering exactly how I can go about it and minimise the cost. My GP says I am just short of osteopenia but still wants to treat me. Perhaps somebody here may have Osteopenia and knows how much extra it would probably cost.

After all I think I should be getting a free lift pass this year (75 yrs old and still able otherwise.) so I suppose I can afford any extra insurance.

Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.

You'll need to Register first of course.

@TCSC47, If you do not actually have Osteopenia, then you should not have to pay an extra premium for it.....but if it was me, I would be double checking.

It may be wise to get written conformation from your GP, in case a different medical person decides that you have crossed the line into Osteopenia.

If you have any further scans/assessments planned - then they have to be declared and changes could happen depending on what they show.

Get it in writing, if an insurance company says no extra premium is necessary and note the details of any conversation/time & date/individual.

Sorry if this is obvious - but worth highlighting anyway.

Then you can post your own questions or snow reports...

No apology needed. What you may think is obvious is not necessarily so to others. I hadn't thought of getting written confirmation of anything. All discussion helps to get my head around the problem. When it comes to skiing I loose all sense of proportion and clear thinking!!

After all it is free

I have osteopenia but it's not treated. I reacted badly to alendronic acid (the only time I've ever had any bad reaction to a medication). A recent DEXA scan showed my condition had not worsened. Doctors seem to be getting very gung-ho about prescribing alendronic acid. I have a friend who is on steroids for polymyalgia rheumatica. His doc wanted him to take it without even doing a DEXA scan, which seemed crazy and he declined, and asked for a scan which has still not happened.

I take masses of pills for heart failure and my insurance (also through the bank) has loaded my premium as a result.

You must tell them about all prescribed medication - but hey, if you get a free lift pass, you can afford it! snowHead

*Ski* the Net with snowHeads

What medication is your GP planning on prescribing Calcium with Vitamin D or Alendronic acid

'SIGN (June 2020). Management of osteoporosis and the prevention of fragility fractures
Advice in Management:

lifestyle advice
balanced diet including adequate calcium and vitamin D
regular weight-bearing exercise eg. walking, dancing, skipping, gym
stop smoking
reduce alcohol intake

zoledronic acid may be considered to reduce risk of clinical fractures in women over 65 years of age who have osteopenia at hip or femoral neck on DXA (2)

patients with osteopenia (t score -1 to -2.5) should be re- scanned in 3 years'

The Post Office seems to have good insurance for those with medical issues.

snowHeads are a friendly bunch.

@pam w, it may be that the risk of fracture in someone taking long-term steroids is so high anyway that it makes a DEXA un-necessary.

snow reports

I now have an answer to my original query here. I have had to pay £89.81 to upgrade my basic ski insurance to cover my osteopenia. My ski insurance has up till now been free through my Lloyds Bank platinum account. It is run by Allianz and I phoned them up today. The agent ran me through a check list and came up with the bill which I paid over the phone.
However, I'm still not sure if I needed to. The operator was clearly following a check list and didn't fill me with much confidence that she knew completely what she was doing.

In the notes I have from Lloyds it clearly states that osteoporosis, which is worse than osteopenia, does not need to be declared to them. They seemed more interested in my high blood pressure and cholesterol treatments which also don't need to be declared. However, Allianz who deal with the insurance for Lloyds may have changed their criteria recently. It might have been the fact that I have had two breaks in the last 5 years, or a combination of all my ills. Anyway, I know I am covered now.

I have also established that I will only have to pay 10 Euros for my lift pass at Les Arcs being over 75 so I am still ahead. Going at Easter in two weeks time, so all we need now is some decent snow. I have been to Les Arcs at Easter for several years before lockdown and have always had quite enough snow.

You know it makes sense.

When you insurance is due again try stay sure. I had osteoporosis moved to osteopenia with treatment and they only charge an extra £15 or so which also includes my crohns.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

Good luck at Les Arcs Smile

A snowHead

I have osteopenia and I am also insured by Alliaz through my bank. They don't know what osteopenia is as only osteoporosis is on the tick list, which does not need to be declared. The policy states that if you have more than one condition on the 'doesn't need to be declared' list you have to declare everything so I did. The premium was an additional £15. I am not taking any medication for it. My doctor vaguely said take calcuim but couldn't tell me what amount I should be taking. They told me to Google it.

I do a lot of weight bearing exercise - running, weight training, etc. in order to keep my bone density up. I haven't had another scan since the original one four years ago and probably won't to be honest. The only other thing I declared was a visit to the ENT for my hearing to see if there was anything that could be done to improve my hearing loss (I only have 30% hearing after a viral infection destroyed it some years ago). This counted as another declarable condiiton,hence the £15 surcharge.

I knew the person on the phone didn't know what any of this stuff was, so I asked it to be referred to the medical underwriter. They confirmed that the osteopenia should not carry an extra premium, which is why I think I ended up with only £15 which is a sort of minimum charge for having two 'no need to declare' conditions.

A snowHead

Again, thanks everybody for the input.

Help!!

On the verge of osteopenia

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