The Untouchables
Denied! These conditions will typically make you "uninsurable" in the market for individual coverage:
· amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS; Lou Gehrig's disease)
· anorexia
· arthritis
· brain or spinal cord injury
· cancer (diagnosed or treated within the past five years)
· chemical dependency
· coronary heart disease
· cystic fibrosis
· diabetes
· epilepsy
· hemophilia
· hepatitis C
· HIV/AIDS
· kidney disease
· Lou Gehrig's disease (see above)
· lupus
· multiple sclerosis
· muscular dystrophy
· osteoporosis
· paraplegia or quadriplegia
· Parkinson's disease
· pregnancy
· stroke
· transplanted organ
Source: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute
Expect Hiccups
Think your good health guarantees you coverage? Think again. Even relatively minor conditions like these can get you turned down for individual insurance:
· acne
· back pain
· high blood pressure
· mild depression
· old sports injuries
· 20 pounds overweight/underweight
Source: Georgetown University Health Policy Institute