Benefit Portability

The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) limits the circumstances under which a plan may exclude coverage for preexisting medical conditions. A preexisting condition exclusion generally may not be imposed for more than 12 months (18 months for a late enrollee). The 12-month (or 18-month) exclusion period is reduced by coverage under a prior plan.

Similarly, you may be entitled to reduce an exclusion period under another plan by a period of continuous coverage under this plan. To qualify for this offset, you cannot incur a significant break in coverage of 63 days or more between this plan and a subsequent plan. You are entitled to a Health Benefit Plan Certification of Coverage that will show your period of coverage under this plan. This certificate will be provided automatically when your coverage under this plan terminates.

The Carpenters Health and Security Plan does not exclude coverage for preexisting medical conditions. It does, however, have a 12-month waiting period for transplants which is not reduced by coverage under a prior plan.