What is and who might have a “pre-existing condition”?
A pre-existing condition is any medical condition which an individual has before they sign up with a new insurer, including switching insurers whether out of choice or requirement. An employer for example may decide to offer different plans in one year, or an employee may switch jobs. A young person may get their first job, or a woman may re-enter the workplace after being home with an infant. Any of these people who has some chronic (continuing) medical condition may be excluded or limited from coverage by an insurer. Pre-existing conditions might also be medical conditions of the such a worker’s wife or children. In the case of exclusion the individual may not be offered any contract with that insurer, perhaps the only plan offered by their employer, or the terms that are offered for that one individual can be several times the premium offered to other employees because of that condition (yes, thousands per month even). In the case of limitation the individual may be offered limited
