I correspond with many agents over the country and they complain about companies issuing policies with waivers. Things are different here in California. With the exception of a 6-month waiver for pre-existing conditions (in the absense of prior insurance), insurance companies here are not allowed to exclude any condition other than maternity.
At first glance this appears to be a good situation. After all, who wants to have conditions excluded? However, there can be other consequences.
Recently I received a referral to help a woman living in Los Angeles. She was healthy other than a carpal tunnel situation that was covered by workers compensation. This meant that for the rest of her life, carpal tunnel treatment and medical expenses would be paid by the workers comp carrier. She would an automatic decline by every major health insurance carrier.
Why? Although the workers comp insurance plan would pay, so would her health insurance company. The legislature in California has made a mandate that causes many people to be uninsurable.
Mandates state that chiropractic care, mental illnesses (both major and minor), and other conditions must be covered. The applicant has no choice in the matter. In fact, if you indicate on your application that you see a chiropractor for preventative care or see a therapist for well-care treatment, most companies will not issue a policy - even if you agree not to file a claim!
This is why HSA plans are so important for Californians. By accepting a high deductible insurance policy that is HSA compatible, disqualifying treatments may be covered. This is because the insurance company may agree that it is unlikely that a claim would be paid due to the deductible amount. So you save insurance costs while having the ability to pay expenses on a tax deductible basis.
As I said, some of the regulations in California may not make complete sense. This is why you need an insurance agent to help you find the proper coverage at a reasonable cost.