When you apply for health insurance of virtually any type, you start the process of evaluation by the company you apply to. Health insurance eligibility is not a simple yes or no proposition. It involves many different considerations ranging from your age, sex and lifestyle, to preexisting conditions and doctor reports.

Insurance companies are in business to make money and paying preventable medical claims is not the best way to accomplish that end. Before issuing a new policy to you, the provider will review all of the material relative to your medical background in order to determine the likelihood of you making costly or multiple claims. That determination is based on a statistical analysis of your medical conditions and habits such as use of tobacco and alcohol; any issues that could indicate a greater probability that you will encounter serious medical conditions.

Almost everyone who applies for coverage has health concerns of one sort or another. Health insurance eligibility depends in part, not only on the existence of those conditions, but on the doctor's reports that the company requested, describing how those conditions are unique to your individual situation. For example; the presence of a low grade urinary tract infection may be highly unusual in your history or, if it is something that you have experienced previously, it may be an indicator of a more serious medical issue that could lead to future illnesses and medical claims. Doctor reports help to put your medical profile in the proper context.

Doctors are bound ethically and by law to provide honest and accurate information regarding the state of your health to anyone who is qualified to request it. There are no specific rules that dictate the content or format of that information. Because insurance providers are on the lookout for any legitimate reason to deny coverage to applicants who are more apt to make claims than others, they depend heavily on doctor's reports to determine their health insurance eligibility.

If you are in the market for health insurance, it is a good idea to review your medical files before they are submitted to the insurance company. It is not uncommon to find a report or mention of an old medical condition that may have long since been addressed. They could be mention of an issue that appeared at one time but proved to be of no consequence. There are numerous such things that could be inappropriately used to deny you coverage or to cause you to pay significantly higher premiums.

Be smart. Talk to your doctor before allowing the insurer to request your files. Make sure that they are accurate and up to date.