HHS: 3.6 million fewer Americans with pre-existing conditions uninsured

The share of Americans with pre-existing conditions who went without health insurance all year fell by 3.6 million people between 2010 and 2014, according to a report released yesterday by the Department of Health and Human Services. The report estimates that 133 million Americans under age 65 may have a pre-existing condition, and that 31 million of them experienced at least one month without insurance in 2014. Among the most common pre-existing conditions are high blood pressure (46 million people), behavioral health disorders (45 million people), high cholesterol (44 million people), asthma/chronic lung disease (34 million people), heart conditions (16 million people), diabetes (13 million people) and cancer (11 million people). Under the Affordable Care Act, insurance companies cannot deny coverage or charge higher premiums based on a person’s medical history or health status, and cannot exclude coverage for treating a pre-existing condition.