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Pre-Existing-Conditions
Pre-Existing Conditions

By

Submitted to the Division of Graduate Studies in partial fulfillment of the requirements for
MBA 512: Health Policy and Law

Shepherd University

April 13, 2010

Abstract Imagine paying $500, $600, $700, or $1,000 monthly for health care insurance only to realize these payments were for naught. The health care insurance provider that received these monthly installments has decided whatever is ailing you will not be covered due to a pre-existing medical condition. What if you couldn’t have the luxury of health care insurance at all due to the basis the health care insurance provider has concluded you have a pre-existing medical condition? These are the dilemmas facing millions of Americans today in the current health care system. America’s health insurance companies exist to make a profit and not for the general well being of the persons they insure. To achieve a profit the health insurance companies must deny coverage claims when Americans need coverage the most or not cover these individuals in the first place. This is a problem that the United States is addressing, or trying to address, in heated debate on Capitol Hill. Many of our Republican politicians want to continue with the status quo of the health care system while Democrats seek to eliminate pre-existing conditions altogether. The American public has come to recognize there has to be a major overhaul of the current health care system starting with pre-existing conditions.

Pre-Existing Conditions Defined

The University of Pittsburg Medical Center defines a pre-existing condition as (University of Pittsburg Medical Center, 2011), “A medical condition that occurred before a program of health benefits went into effect”. The Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation (Kaiser Family Foundation, 2011) breaks down further what exactly the definitions for health insurance companies are varied by state. Their define the breakdown as “some states use an objective



References: American Medical Association (2011). AMA.com. Retrieved from http://www.ama-assn.org/ama/pub/about-ama/our-people/member-groups- sections/resident-fellow-section/advocacy-policy/policy-success.page American Psychiatric Association (2009) http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/164594.php Asthma and Allergy Foundation of America (2011) http://www.aafa.org/display.cfm?id=5&sub=72 Boehner, J (2011) http://www.johnboehner.com/?p=234 Girion, L (2007) Grim, R (2009). The Huffington Post. Retrieved from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/insurance-companies-rape-_n_328708.html HealthCare.gov 1 (2011) http://www.healthcare.gov/law/timeline/index.html HealthCare.gov 2 (2011) http://www.healthcare.gov/news/blog/preexistingcondition.html Hizelrath, D (2009) http://www.washingtonpost.com/wpdyn/content/article/2009/09/18/AR2009091803501.html Huckabee, M (2010) http://tpmdc.talkingpointsmemo.com/2010/09/huckabee-opposes-insurance-for-people-with-pre-existing-conditions.php House.gov (2011) http://rules-republicans.house.gov/Media/PDF/HR__-Repeal.pdf Ivory, D (2009) http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/10/21/insurance-companies-rape-n_328708.html Jindal, B (2009) http://blogs.wsj.com/health/2009/02/25/louisiana-gov-bobby-jindal-a-pre-existing-condition/ Kaiser Family Foundation (2011) http://www.statehealthfacts.org/comparetable.jsp?typ=5&ind=355&cat=7&sub=87&sortc=2&o=a Kaiser Family Foundation Poll (2009) http://www.kff.org/kaiserpolls/upload/7990.pdf Maine Medical Association (2010) http://www.mainemed.com/legislation/testimony/ld1620_MacLean.pdf National Patient Advocate Foundation (2009) NMSA Commission on Governmental Affairs (2007). Nevada State Medical Association. Retrieved from http://www.nsmadocs.org/pdf/Leg%20Strategy_Comments.pdf North Dakota Medical Association (2010). Ndmed. Retrieved from mabu-ndmed.taopowered.net/image/cache/Op_Ed_10-09.pdf Obama, B (2009). Chicago Sun Times. Retrieved from http://blogs.suntimes.com/sweet/2009/06/obamas_ama_speech_as_delivered.html Pelosi, N (2011) House.gov. Retrieved from http://pelosi.house.gov/special-issues/women.shtml Reid, H (2010). MSNBC. Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35585513/ns/politics/ Sebelius, K (2011). Department of Health and human Resources. Retrieved from http://www.hhs.gov/news/press/2011pres/01/20110118a.html Slaughter, L (2010). MSNBC Retrieved from http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/35585513/ns/politics/ Sorian, R (2011). HealthCare.gov. Retrieved from http://www.healthcare.gov/news/blog/preexisting.html Texas Medical Association (2009). texmed.org. Retrieved from http://www.texmed.org/Template.aspx?id=7899 University of Pittsburg Medical Center (2011). Retrieved from http://www.upmc.com/HOSPITALSFACILITIES/FINANCIAL- SERVICES/Pages/billing-terminology.aspx Wing, N (2011)

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