does insurance consider pregnancy a preexisting condition?

Question

i have already done the paperwork to get on blue cross blus shield, but it doesn't go into effect until Oct. 1, and now i found out that i'm pregnant. will the insurance cover the pregnancy? are they allowed not to?

i've not been to the doctor or anything yet either, so it's not been "confirmed"

Answer 1

Yes, you will be covered, unless they can prove you were aware of it ahead of time. I used to work in Short Term Disability Claims at Sunlife Financial (maternity leave) and I used to see that a lot. A lot of people start new jobs after layoffs etc and had all that free time when they were unemployed and got pregnant. There is nothing in your medical file that will be documenting a pre-existing condition and they will cover you. Plus keep in mind, that as far as dis. insurance goes you don't need it until you are unable to work which is many months away. As far as Blue cross and blue shield goes, I would go to a local family planning clinic and pretend you have no ins. just for your first check up to make sure everythings ok so far and then after Oct 1st call your PCP and tell him you SUSPECT you may be pregnant and have an official work up done. That way, it doesnt make its way into your medical file until after the ins. is in effect. Prenatal visits are expensive even WITH ins, so your lucky you don't have to wait 90 days hun!! Congrats! and Good Luck!

Answer 2

First off, congratulations on your exciting new news! Secondly, call BCBS and see what they have to say. There has been confusion thus far on this question, and I hope I can bring a little clarity to the picture. It is confusing because in some cases pregnancy is considered a pre-existing condition and in others it is not. One thing I would urge you to do is be honest with your healthcare provider. Not only is it fraud to lie about when you became pregnant when applying for insurance, but it is easily traceable and it’s important to have an accurate date as you move forward with prenatal care. Many doctors’ visits and screenings are based on when you became pregnant, for example.

The first link in the Sources section is to a federal law called The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA), which was passed in 1996. This law says that pregnancy cannot be considered a pre-existing condition – but it only applies to group health insurance, such as you would get through work. So, if you didn’t have health care coverage before your new job or you had a private individual plan, HIPPA won’t protect you in terms of having to wait for coverage. If you were covered under a group health plan and move to a new one, then there should be no waiting period at all. That should be true if you were on your husband's previous health plan in a group health setting.

Some women without insurance save money for their delivery by having the baby at a birthing center instead of a hospital. I don’t know much at all about them, so please research them carefully, but they are far less expensive (link below).

Congratulations again!

Barnes@MostChoice

Answer 3

It's a federal law that NO INSURANCE COMPANY can consider pregnancy a preexisting condition. As long as your new insurance has maternity coverage, you're good to go. Read the policy and benefits summary thoroughly to be sure they cover pre-natal (and well baby!) visits.

Answer 4

This Site Might Help You.

RE:
does insurance consider pregnancy a preexisting condition?
i have already done the paperwork to get on blue cross blus shield, but it doesn't go into effect until Oct. 1, and now i found out that i'm pregnant. will the insurance cover the pregnancy? are they allowed not to?

Answer 5

They are not allowed to consider this a pre-existing condition. There was a law passed in 1999 that made it illegal for insurance companies to not cover pre-exisiting conditions.
If you already have an ob picked out call his/her office and see if they can see you and put the first visits on a payment plan, or go to your local Department of Human Services and see if you can get a medical card until your insurance goes into effect. Congradulations!!!

Answer 6

If they know that you found out that you got pregnant before the insurance goes into effect, then no, they will no cover it. Although it may be illegal, you could always forget that you are pregnant until October 1 then go to the doctor and amazingly find out that you are pregnant. Good luck.

Oh, I don't know how much you make or what state you live in, but it is possible that if your insurance company does not cover you in your pregnancy, you may be eligible for medicaid to cover the pregnancy for you.

Answer 7

Absolutely its considered "preexisting" Its like buying car insurance after an accident - they won't pick of the charges of said accident after the fact? Well health insurance companies are the same way. You pay in and they "hope" to pay out less than you pay in so they can make a profit. If you haven't "paid" in then why would they pick up the "bills" of your pregnancy?

Answer 8

Probably. Insurance comps will do anything to not have to pay. Have you had insurance before now? If so, it will just carry over and not be considered pre-ex. cond. If not, you're SOL, unless you get a hold of a kind hearted call center rep.

Answer 9

Wait until after Oct. 1 to go to a doctor. If there is no medical record of it, and you don't tell them about it, then there's no way for them to prove it was a pre-existing condition.

They might still try to fight it, but if you persist they would likely cave knowing they have little ground to stand on.

Answer 10

I've had insurance with BCBS under my dad's and I found out I was pregnant in January. I got married in April and switched to my husbands insruance, but they didn't consider it "preexisting".