What is the pre-existing condition review period?
Asked by: Zoey Bashirian | Last update: October 14, 2025Score: 4.7/5 (27 votes)
How long is a condition considered pre-existing?
The length of time before the start date of coverage during which a condition would be considered pre-existing varies, and can be anywhere from 30 days to 6 months or longer.
What is the exclusion period for pre-existing conditions?
A pre-existing condition exclusion can not be longer than 12 months from your enrollment date (18 months for a late enrollee).
What is the waiting period for pre-existing disease?
Almost all health insurance plans cover pre-existing diseases after a waiting period of usually 2 to 3 years. This implies that any hospitalization expenses related to the declared ailments can be claimed only after 2 to 3 successful years with the insurer.
What is the medicare rule for preexisting conditions?
Does Original Medicare cover preexisting conditions? Yes. When you sign up for Original Medicare, any preexisting condition will be covered immediately. You'll still be responsible for all out-of-pocket expenses like deductibles, copayments and coinsurance.
What Is a Pre-Existing Condition? | Health Insurance 101 | GoodRx
What is the waiting period for a pre-existing condition under a Medicare?
In some cases, the Medigap insurance company can refuse to cover your out of pocket costs for these pre‑existing health problems for up to 6 months. This is called a “pre‑existing condition waiting period.” After 6 months, the Medigap policy will cover the pre‑existing condition.
What is the 3 year new patient rule for Medicare?
Special considerations for Medicare patients
Medicare has stated that a patient is a new patient if no face-to-face service was reported in the last three years. The group practice and specialty distinctions still apply, but “professional service” is limited to face-to-face encounters.
How far back is a pre-existing condition?
A pre-existing medical condition is a disease, illness or injury for which you have received medication, advice or treatment or had any symptoms (whether the condition has been diagnosed or not) in the five years before your joining date. Health insurance doesn't usually cover 'pre-existing conditions'.
What is the 12 month waiting period for pre-existing conditions?
12-months Condition Specific Waiting Period – this is a period during which a member is not entitled to claim benefits in respect of a condition for which medical ad- vice, diagnosis, care or treatment was recommended or received within the 12 month period ending on the date on which an application for membership was ...
How do insurance companies know if you have a pre-existing condition?
To determine if a condition is pre-existing, insurers examine medical history, treatment records, and diagnosis reports. They may use “look-back periods,” which are specific timeframes—typically six months to a year before coverage begins—to review medical history.
What illnesses are considered pre-existing conditions?
A health problem, like asthma, diabetes, or cancer, you had before the date that new health coverage starts. Insurance companies can't refuse to cover treatment for your pre-existing condition or charge you more.
What does 12 months for pre-existing mean?
What does this mean for me? If your condition has been deemed as pre-existing by our medical practitioner, you'll need to serve the 12-month waiting period (or the remaining part of the period if you have served some of it with your previous fund) before you can claim for the service or treatment.
What does a pre-existing condition limitation not apply?
Insurers in some states could have restrictions added on whether they can include a pre-existing condition exclusion period. Today, insurers cannot deny coverage to somebody based on pre-existing conditions, nor charge more.
Do pre-existing conditions affect life insurance?
Pre-existing conditions can make it more difficult and expensive to get life insurance, but even if you have a chronic or terminal health problem, you can likely find a policy you qualify for if you shop around.
What is the exclusion period?
The time period during which an individual policy won't pay for care relating to a pre-existing condition. Under an individual policy, conditions may be excluded permanently (known as an "exclusionary rider"). Rules on pre-existing condition exclusion periods in individual policies vary widely by state.
Is high cholesterol a pre-existing condition?
Does high cholesterol count as a pre-existing medical condition? Yes. High cholesterol is considered a pre-existing medical condition by insurance companies, along with similar conditions like high blood pressure.
How far back does pre-existing condition last?
A group health plan can count as pre-existing conditions only those conditions for which you actually received (or were recommended to receive) a diagnosis, treatment or medical advice within the 6 months immediately before you joined that plan. This period is known as the “look back” period.
What is the limitation period for pre-existing conditions?
The time period during which a health plan won't pay for care relating to a pre-existing condition. Under a job-based plan, this cannot exceed 12 months for a regular enrollee or 18 months for a late-enrollee.
What are my pre-existing conditions?
A pre-existing condition is any condition you had before your policy started. A chronic condition is something that is on-going and that has no known cure. Asthma, arthritis and diabetes are examples of chronic conditions.
What is a pre-existing condition waiting period?
A pre-existing condition exclusion period is a window of time, after a health plan takes effect, when a pre-existing condition (or multiple pre-existing conditions) will not be covered by the plan.
Is anxiety considered a pre-existing condition?
In the health insurance world, a pre-existing condition is any injury, sickness or condition that exists before the date an insurance policy takes effect. Examples include asthma, diabetes, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, high cholesterol and so on.
Is acid reflux considered a pre-existing condition?
Is reflux really a pre-existing medical condition? The simple answer is yes.
What is the 5 year rule for Medicare?
This rule states that in order to be eligible for Medicare benefits, individuals must have lived in the U.S. as legal permanent residents for at least five continuous years.
How long before a patient is considered new again?
A new patient is one who has not received any professional services, [e.g., E/M service or other face-to-face service (e.g., surgical procedure)] from the physician or physician group practice (same physician specialty) within the previous 3 years.
What are the proposed changes to Medicare in 2024?
As of January 1, 2024, people with Medicare Part D are no longer responsible for five percent prescription cost-sharing in the 'catastrophic phase' of coverage.