the scenario you describe becomes a thing of the past starting january 1 2014. there are no more pre-existing condition clauses allowed. everyone will be sold a health plan and insurers can no longer take the state of someone's health into consideration when setting prices. you'll pay no more for the same health plan than someone without any health conditions.
will the new options available this october still have a pre-existing condition clause? . a health conscious 26-year-old male was turned down by healthy blue kaiser and others because of a bmi in the obese range even though his primary doctor wrote a letter stating that he lifts weights and his muscle mass contributes to that bmi.