re: Rush on pre-existing ...it's not insurance, it's welfare

in employer insurance (that's large group and small group) large group like mine is self insured, small group is underwritten meaning it's insurance, self insurance means your employer is merely paying your claims. when you are hired you have a thirty day waiting period that's typically done to facilitate the payroll deduction aspect of your premiums (in small group) or your employee contribution in large group at that time all pre existing conditions are covered, they can not be excluded. if for some reason you were to cancel your coverage and let it lapse for more than 90 days, then pre-existing conditions can be uncovered for up to 18 months for adults (16 or over) and six months for minors. you can skip coverage but you are allowed a chance to enroll during the next open enrollment period but if you haven't maintained some form of valid coverage since the past open enrollment period the 90 day lapse rule applies.

in other words you have coverage through your wife's plan you decide you want it through your employer instead, you got no problems, you just didn't want the coverage cause it's expensive and you didn't plan on getting sick then that condition will be excluded doesn't mean they won't take you it's simply means claims related to that specific pre-existing condition will not be paid.