Insurance Medicine

Thyroid cancer (TC) is the most prevalent endocrine cancer, accounting for about 95% of all such malignancies. The incidence of this cancer has increased dramatically in the last three decades.

Genetic testing is now available for many disorders. We have known for centuries that heredity is involved in many diseases. However, 15 years ago the Human Genome project was completed, and the sequence of human DNA is now known. This major accomplishment has caused an explosion of new information about genetic diseases, confirming previous suspicions in many diseases and identifying the genetic contribution in others.

Liver enzyme testing (LFTs) are part of virtually every blood profile obtained on a potential insured.  They are also one of the leading causes of a completely unexpected rating or decline on a case.  Most clients do not provide a specific history for an elevation, and no broker or agent expects such an outcome with what seemed to be a clean history.  Knowing how to approach this situation can be key to a favorable underwriting outcome.

Seasonal influenza is a unique public health conundrum: its epidemics are annual, yet even with the wealth of epidemiologic data now collected on it, predicting its activity and severity still remains a significant challenge. Recent modeling suggests that the global burden of influenza is worse than previously thought, accounting for up to 600,000 deaths annually.

Eat your vegetables. Stay active. Avoid smoking. Keep out of the sun. Patients have been hearing this good advice from their doctors for a long time. Now, researchers are uncovering new evidence that our lifestyle choices can measurably influence mortality risk at a genetic level. Learn more about the emerging science of epigenetics in a two-part interview and the webinar “Epigenetics and Liquid Biopsies: Fact, Fiction or Both.”

Cancerous tumors shed whole cells or tiny bits of DNA and other genetic material into the bloodstream and other bodily fluids. This allows clinicians to potentially analyze blood samples to detect a tumor's unique mutations and offer a personalized treatment regimen, all without an invasive tissue biopsy. 

For years, sweets were marketed as innocuous treats for kids whose only drawback was cavities if you did not brush your teeth properly. 

What is Chronic Granulomatous Disease, and what are the mortality implications?

Liquid biopsies are noninvasive tests that could potentially lead to early detection of cancer by identifying the genetic material cancerous tumors shed into the bloodstream and other bodily fluids. It is now possible to test  for biomarkers such as circulating tumor cells (CTCs) and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA). As these tests gain a foothold in clinical practice, insurance professionals must understand liquid biopsies and the implications for underwriting and product development.

Insurers design critical illness policies with the intention being to cover medical conditions that are likely to have a life-changing impact on the life insured, with payment alleviating financial pressure as recovery and adjustment to an altered way of life take place. Should insurers include lower risk prostate cancer in such products or are they well positioned to exclude these altogether, considering the favorable outcome?