JUSTICE FOR CLEFT BABIES!!

I received an email from ING with regards to Zarif's declined application.  This is the email :- "Case was reviewed when we received email from *************. Regret to inform that we are unable to consider HS plan to the life insured who is only 8 months old with palate lip repair surgery done in June 2012. Cleft lip may increase risk for upper respiratory tract disorder, speech defects, hearing impairment and infection of middle ear. The risk for HS plan is very high at current stage. Client with cleft lip/palate may need a revision surgery at a later age depends of the recovery." And my reply:- Dear ****, Kindly inform your underwriter or whoever that sent you this email to get their FACTS correct. 1.  Zarif did NOT had any palate repair surgery.  Kindly ask your underwriter to search in the dictionary what palate is and what lip is. 2.  All the risk stated are for Cleft LIP AND PALATE, whereby Zarif only has cleft lip problem.  Do browse http://www.clapam.org.my/ to know more about cleft.  Whatever it is, I thought anything related to Cleft would be excluded from the policy?  Why suddenly this came out as an issue? My child will forever be a cleft lip baby regardless of what age he will be later.  As such the deferment proposal proposed by ING will never be applicable to him as it will forever be deferred.   I guess ING would have their facts correct if ever ING get the medical report of Zarif.  However, ING was just too proud to even request for it and I shall and will not grant any permission whatsoever after this, for the fact that ING is not interested at the first place. *****, I really appreciate your cooperation and understanding in handling this matter.  However, I am sorry to inform you that my husband and I have decided to withdraw for Zafri's proposal too.  Both Kamal and I feel very offended how Zarif's case being treated at the first place by ING.  Kindly do the refund accordingly.  I guess I will have to find other insurance company that would be interested to insure Zarif or at least be fair to him.  Thank you once again for your time and effort.  Puan Zuraini - CLAPAM, For your kind info.  I take into heart how this being handled by ING.  Regards, Baizura

What is Cleft Lip & Cleft Lip and Palate?

What is cleft?

Cleft is a congenital phenomenon affecting 1 in 700 newborns. It is a split or separation in the structure of the lip or the roof of the mouth. During early pregnancy, separate areas of the face develop and then join together. When some parts fail to come together, a cleft is formed. Cleft lip and palate can happen together or separately.

Cleft lip

It can be a slight notch/split on the upper lip to a complete separation in one or both sides of the upper lip, it may go all the way up and into the nose. Unilateral cleft is when it is on one side while bilateral cleft is when it is on both sides of the lip.

Cleft palate

 When the roof of the mouth(palate) has not joined completely, leaving a hole in the palate. This can affect the soft palate(soft part of the palate towards the throat) or the hard palate(front part of the palate near the mouth) or both.

Cleft lip and palate

Is when both lip and palate have a gap/hole.

Sources : http://www.clapam.org.my/ 

Note : For more details please visit the website above