QandAs: Finance

Is Pregnancy considered a Pre-existing Condition?

Answer:
Pre-existing conditions are medical conditions or injuries that were diagnosed or treated before the start of a health insurance policy.

Many health insurance policies exclude pre-existing conditions and will not pay for any related medical expenses until the defined waiting period has expired (if the policy has such a provision.)

This can be alarming if you are pregnant and seeking medical coverage. However, pregnancy is not considered a pre-existing condition. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) was signed into law by President Bill Clinton. With this act came the provision that no group health insurance plan can exclude pregnancy as a pre-existing condition. In addition, these plans cannot exclude newborns or adopted children under age 18 as long as you have enrolled the child within 30 days of the birth or adoption.

This means that you can apply for new health insurance while you are pregnant and get the coverage that you need. In addition, you have 30 days after the baby is born to enroll him in the health insurance plan.

*However, if you are looking to purchase an individual insurance policy, you will want to contact that particular insurance company and ask out their policies on covering pregnancy.


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