Finding Health Insurance with a Pre-Existing Condition

Finding health insurance with a pre-existing condition may be more problematic than finding it without one but it is not completely impossible. A pre-existing condition in insurance terms is a medical issue that a person had before they obtained a health insurance policy. Unfortunately having a pre-existing condition is often looked upon in a negative light. The reason for this is because it can prevent you from receiving the coverage you are looking for or it can mean that you will be able to get coverage but the premiums will be very expensive.

Finding health insurance with a pre-existing condition may be more problematic than finding it without one but it is not completely impossible. A pre-existing condition in insurance terms is a medical issue that a person had before they obtained a health insurance policy. Unfortunately having a pre-existing condition is often looked upon in a negative light. The reason for this is because it can prevent you from receiving the coverage you are looking for or it can mean that you will be able to get coverage but the premiums will be very expensive.

What is worth knowing is that if you do have a pre-existing health condition then there are some insurance providers who will provide you with the coverage you require. However there may be certain restrictions that you will have to abide by.

There are different types of pre-existing conditions. Some of them are more common than others. The most common ones include pregnancy, arthritis, diabetes, obesity, fibromyalgia and depression. Every insurance company comes up with its own list of pre-existing conditions and each company has its own standards in relation to pre-existing conditions.

It is not uncommon for health insurance companies to require that new insured persons must undergo a waiting period before their pre-existing conditions will be covered under the new policy. The waiting period for most individual health insurance policies is 12 to 18 months. This means that the company will not pay any of your medical expenses during this time period that are associated with your condition.  

You need to know that there are certain protections that most of those with pre-existing conditions are entitled to. Under the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) the treatments for your pre-existing conditions must be paid for by the new insurance company. This act stipulates that those individuals who were previously insured under a group health insurance plan and are now looking for a new form of health insurance may qualify to have their pre-existing conditions covered as long as some specific criteria are met.

Be aware however that HIPAA can only be of assistance to those who were covered under a group health insurance plan and not those who were covered under an individual insurance plan. If you are switching from one group health insurance policy to another then this is worth looking into further. This will go a long way in ensuring that you are not turned down because of a pre-existing condition and it will also help to keep your premiums as low as possible.

Those who are looking to find health insurance with a pre-existing condition can also look to alternative health coverage options. In particular these options are beneficial if you are looking for individual health insurance coverage. Most of the state’s offer coverage through high risk insurance pools for those with pre-existing conditions. While high risk pools tend to err on the expensive side they are a viable option for the person with a pre-existing condition who has run into difficulties in finding a place that will insure their health. There are many places online where you can search for a quote for a health plan.

Finding health insurance with a pre-existing condition may take you longer to find but there are options out there. Be prepared however to have to deal with a waiting period before your coverage begins and to pay more than someone who does not have such a condition to contend with.