Funny, I don't recall my employer based health plan asking me any questions about pre-existing conditions.
They also covered my wife's pre-existing pregnancy.
That's because many employer-provided insurance plans cover all employees without regard to health status; the fees are structured that way, and all the employees share the higher risk of those less healthy.
The only option for individuals who are either self employed or who work for an employer who does not provide health insurance is to seek a private or individual policy. Under those circumstances they are more likely to be asked health questions, and if they have health problems (more likely as one gets older), they are likely either to be rejected outright or to be offered a policy at rates that are greater than what they have left over after paying for food, rent and utilities.
One of my cousins was rejected for being about 50 lbs overweight with no other health problems. It's people like her, and other relatives like the one I mentioned who had a stroke, who are falling through the health insurance cracks, and private insurance seems to have had little to no interest in filling that gap.
