Pre-Existing Conditions
A pre-existing condition refers to an illness (e.g. high blood pressure) or health status (e.g. morbid obesity) that exists prior to the effective date of insurance coverage. Some forms of medical coverage such as short-term health insurance may reject an insurance applicant due to an expensive, or potentially expensive, pre-existing condition.
For information on association health plans’ obligations regarding pre-existing conditions, see “Do association health plans cover pre-existing conditions?”