In most states, the insurance companies that offering Individuals may offer you coverage, but request that they not be held liable for treatment of a pre-eisting medical condition. This request is made through an elimination rider' which is sent to you as an amendment to your health insurance contract. You are not obligated to accept or approve of the elimination rider, but failure to do so will most often result in the insurance company declining their offer to provide you with medical insurance. For instance, if a new applicant has asthma, the insurance company may send that applicant an elimination rider that offers them coverage, but with the treatment of asthma ecluded from the policy benefits. If you decline the elimination rider, you are telling the insurance company that you want them to be responsible for paying the costs of treating your asthma, which they will most likely refuse to do. Without your approval to grant this eclusion, the insurance company will be liable for paying asthma related claims. So, they are basically requesting that you release their liability on treatment of asthma or they will not offer you coverage. This may sound like bullying, but it is essentially just a negotiation on their contract. They are telling you that they will provide you with coverage for all other medical epenses outlined in the evidence of coverage, as long as you don't hold them liable for paying for your pre-eisting medical condition.'