Question: i am adding a person with a pre-existing medical condition on my group policy…will they be accepted?

Answer: Yes. In 1996, Congress passed the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA). This law mandated nationwide, across-the-board guaranteed issue in the small group market - among other things. A small group is defined as an employer group with 2-50 employees. However, insurance companies may charge higher premiums for groups that contain high risks or that have had a history of high claims. In some states, the premium for high-risk groups can be much higher.