Some* of the pre-existing conditions that make people ineligible for health insurance coverage:

Active alcoholism

Active drug abuse

Active rehabilitation

AIDS

Alzheimer's disease

Arteriosclerotic heart disease

Cancer (diagnosis and treatment within last 10 years)

Cerebral vascular accident/disease-stroke

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease

Congestive heart failure

Coronary artery disease

Crohn's disease

Emphysema

Heart attack/disease

Hemophilia

Leukemia-active

Multiple sclerosis

Muscular dystrophy

Obesity (greater than 40 percent overweight for height and weight.)

Polycythemia vera

Pregnancy (may apply six weeks after delivery.)

Rheumatoid arthritis

Systematic lupus erythematosis

Ulcerative colitis – on medication

Source: Health Alliance Medical Plans enrollment information

... and that's not all

* Rejected for a health condition that isn't on the list? Here's an explanation from Health Alliance spokeswoman Jane Hayes about how that can happen:

"The list included in the brochure is a list of uninsurable conditions; however, nearly everyone who applies for coverage has some kind of pre-existing condition. We have medical professionals who use an actuarial scoring system as a guideline to determine insurability for conditions not included on that list.

"For example, a person with high blood pressure on medication will most likely be approved. But if you add high cholesterol, diabetes and obesity to the high blood pressure, health insurers like us would not offer coverage."