In a significant development, patients who have overcome cancer will now have the opportunity to obtain life insurance and utilize other long-term financial products like any other individual. Until now, insurance companies have hesitated to enter into contracts with them or increase the prices of their products due to their past illness. However, the Ministry of Health agreed with the Czech Association of Insurers on Monday to change this practice.
“Obtaining life insurance or other financial products is often challenging for individuals undergoing cancer treatment. Insurance companies either refuse to enter into contracts with them or increase the prices of their products. This is even though they have completed their treatment years ago and are now healthy,” highlighted Vlastimil Válek (TOP 09), the Minister of Health.
The “Right to be Forgotten” will now benefit oncology patients, allowing insurance companies to view them after a certain period from the end of their treatment as if they had never had the disease. Consequently, they will be entitled to insurance under standard conditions.
In collaboration with the Institute of Health Information and Statistics (ÚZIS), the Ministry has provided insurers with information to assess the risk posed by oncology patients.
According to Jan Matoušek, the director of the Czech Insurance Bureau, this has led to the issuance of a recommendation to disregard most oncological diagnoses regarding previous illnesses.
Patient representatives have warmly welcomed this change. “We are glad that this right will be achieved without the need for legislative changes,” said Michaela Tůmová, a member of the Committee of the Voice of Oncology Patients.