Taking Care of Mom and Dad: Pre-existing Conditions

Many older people are being treated for some medical problems by the time they become eligible for Medicare. Your parents may already have serious medical conditions (high blood pressure, heart disease, etc.) or minor ones (such as allergies). For health insurance purposes these problems are defined as pre-existing conditions.

In any health insurance policy, you should investigate the coverage limitations for pre-existing conditions. The fastest way to do this: Read through the definition of a pre-existing condition in the policy. Most Medicare supplement contracts will define a pre-existing condition as any condition for which the policyholder sought treatment or advice in the six months prior to the start of the policy.

Treatment generally consists of actual medical treatment provided by a doctor, nurse, hospital, etc.; advice consists of consultations, but could include a conversation about the medical condition.

Most Medicare supplements exclude benefits for pre-existing conditions until the policy has been in force for six months. In other words, there is a six-month waiting period for coverage of these conditions. (A few companies require no waiting period, some require a 90-day period but none can require more than six months.)