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Pre-Existing Medical Conditions – Can You Qualify for Insurance?

As difficult as it may be to accept, insurance companies are for profit entities that want to ensure that their expenses remain low and their revenues remain high. A frequent challenge that many Americans come up against when they are shopping for health insurance is the matter of pre-existing medical conditions. However, unlike what is popularly believed, this does not mean you will automatically be denied health coverage from an insurance company. That means they don’t look favorably upon insuring people who have existing medical problems because that means they may end up paying out more money than they collect from the insured.

When underwriting their policies, health insurance companies look at a number of factors when deciding who to insure and who to decline. For those with pre-existing medical conditions, they will look at the type of disease you have and the costs associated with treating it. Rather than deny coverage right out of the gate, an insurance company may impose a waiting period (generally about 12 months) before they will pay medical bills associated with your condition. Another option insurance companies may do is charge higher premiums and out of pocket expenses for your health coverage.

Some pre-existing conditions can be improved with some effort on your part. This includes conditions of high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity. If you bring your blood pressure or cholesterol levels down and lose weight, your premium could be decreased if you alert your health insurance company to the changes you have made. Other conditions are outside of your control, such as diagnosed mental conditions that may be with you for the rest of your life. In this case, you may need to get creative when it comes to finding coverage after you have previously been denied health insurance

But whether or not an insurance company will extend those options to you or decline to cover you will depend a lot on the type of disease you have. People with treatable diseases, like asthma and high blood pressure, may have an easier time getting health insurance than a person with a catastrophic disease, like cancer. To prevent insurance providers from cherry picking and taking only the healthiest people, the government recently passed the Patient Protections and Affordable Care Act. As of September 2010, children 19 and younger cannot be excluded from their parent’s insurance plan because of a pre-existing condition. Adults will receive similar protection starting in 2014.

However, if you are persistence you will find a plan that fits your needs. A website that allows you to grab quotes from several different providers at once can cut down the amount of time you spend looking for insurance. It may take time to find the right insurance that will cover your condition. Therefore, it is important that you do your research and compare health insurance plans and providers. The caveat, though, is that you may be forced to agree to a waiting period or pay higher premiums. You can be approved for health insurance if you have pre-existing medical conditions.

Sean L Johnson is a journalist for Health Insurance Buyer a referral service that connects consumers to the insurance carriers that can best fit their wants or special needs. Click on link for your free health insurance quote comparison from The Nations TOP Rated PPOs

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