Simply put a Guaranteed Issue policy means that a person is accepted by the Health Insurance company independent of whatever medical issue or history they may have. Unfortunately, only a limited number of states currently require Health Care Coverage providers and Insurance companies to underwrite Individual/Family policies on a guaranteed issue basis (DC, OH (limited program), MA, NJ, NY, VT, and WA).

Employer group plans are, by definition, guaranteed issued policies as the contract for medical care coverage is between the employer and the company which contain a contractual provision requiring the company to insure whomever the employer hires (typically requires full time status).

Many people do not realize that they may be denied coverage because they have pre-existing health conditions (cancer, diabetes, heart conditions, depression, etc.) that disqualify them for individual/family policies. Even if a person with one of the conditions listed above qualifies for a health insurance policy, treatment related to his/her pre-existing condition may not be covered in the policy (See Pre-existing Condition in the Other Issues section). A guaranteed issue health policy will offer comprehensive health insurance coverage to people in such a predicament. However, the choices are often very limited outside of state/federally funded programs. If you are in this category your best approach would be to seek the advice of a Licensed Certified Field Broker/Agent ( Click Here) who can help you understand your options. The cost of such coverage is typically quite high as the coverage company is taking on a high risk of having to pay claims.

Many states have state sponsored high-risk coverage programs such as the California Major Risk Medical Insurance Program (MRMIP). Some guaranteed issue health insurance policies have an initial period where coverage related to your pre-existing condition is not part of the plan and others may also require an Exclusion period before the pre-existing condition is covered. We recommend that you consult with a Licensed Certified Field Broker/Agent ( Click Here) who can advise you accordingly.