Does Marketplace insurance cover pre-existing conditions?

This is one of the ACA’s defining protections. Before the law, insurers in the individual market could turn people away, charge them more, or exclude a condition they’d had before — which left many people with chronic illnesses unable to buy coverage at all. Under the ACA, every Marketplace plan must accept you regardless of health history, charge the same regardless of your conditions, and cover care for those conditions from the first day of coverage. There’s no health questionnaire and no waiting period.

The contrast with non-ACA coverage is worth knowing. Short-term plans and health-sharing arrangements are not bound by these rules, so they routinely screen for health history and exclude pre-existing conditions — a big part of why their premiums can look lower. If you have an ongoing condition, an ACA-compliant Marketplace plan is almost always the safer choice. Our guide to the Marketplace covers what plans must include.