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Glossary
A pre-existing condition is a medical condition you have on or before the start date of a new health insurance plan.
A pre-existing condition is a medical condition you have on or before the start date of a new health insurance plan.
Before the Affordable Care Act (opens in new tab) passed in 2010, many health insurance companies declined to cover people with pre-existing conditions, or charged much higher premium (opens in new tab) rates for these individuals to offset anticipated higher medical costs.
Today, health insurers can’t legally deny coverage or charge different premium rates based on pre-existing conditions.