Changing Jobs

Survivors are often frightened to change jobs because they fear that they may lose insurance for themselves and their families. A cancer history requires lifelong medical surveillance that may be impossible to finance without insurance. Survivors often stay in unsatisfying jobs that offer health insurance because they can't risk losing health insurance if they quit and took a better job. This is sometimes called "job lock." Parents of young survivors also face the same dilemma.

I wanted to leave my job for a better-paying job as a church secretary (as if that isn't slap enough, a church paying better than a university), and I was told by an independent insurance company that no way would they provide health insurance for Elizabeth, a 5-year survivor of Wilms tumor. Never mind that the doctors say that she is just fine, nothing to worry about, pick out her college--the insurance company says they aren't touching her with a 10-foot pole. I guess I will take the lower pay and stay at the university where I know Elizabeth is covered no matter what.

—

Rachel's neuroblastoma was treated with a bone marrow transplant. When my husband recently transferred to a different university to teach, we were assured that there was no pre-existing condition clause. Since Rachel requires growth hormone, it was essential to have the $6,000 a year cost covered by insurance. We got a call from the pharmacist saying that the new insurance refused to pay. It turns out that a month after our new coverage started, the university elected to use a new prescription insurance coverage, which didn't cover growth hormone. So we are appealing it, but we wouldn't have taken the new job if we'd known. And we are down to one vial.