Comorbidity
What is Comorbidity?
Comorbidity refers to the presence of one or more additional diseases co-occurring with a primary disease or disorder. In other words, it describes the effect of all other diseases an individual patient might have other than the primary disease.
How is Comorbidity Different from Pre-Existing Diseases?
- Comorbidity
Involves multiple diseases or conditions that occur simultaneously but are not necessarily related in causation to each other.
For example, a person could have diabetes and hypertension at the same time. These two are independent of each other but can complicate the treatment of one another.
- Pre-Existing Disease
Refers specifically to any condition, ailment, or injury that existed before obtaining a health insurance policy.
For example, if an individual was diagnosed with asthma before they purchased a health insurance plan, asthma is considered a pre-existing condition.
Are Comorbidities Covered Under Health Insurance?
- Coverage Varies: Health insurance policies vary greatly in terms of how they cover comorbidities. Some plans might cover all associated medical costs if the comorbidities are disclosed at the time of policy purchase, while others may have specific exclusions.
- Impact of Pre-Existing Conditions: If one or more of the comorbid conditions are pre-existing, insurers might impose a waiting period before covering costs related to these conditions. In other cases, they may require higher premiums.
