Health insurance coverage you had before enrolling in your present health plan that can be used to offset or shorten a pre-existing condition exclusion period under a new policy.
For creditable coverage, your new health policy cannot hold you to a pre-existing condition exclusion again as long as you:
• Maintained at least a full year of health coverage at your previous job, and
• That coverage didn’t lapse for more than 62 days (may be extended if your coverage is insured under an HMO)
Creditable coverage also applies to health plans provided through other sources, such as Medicare and Medicaid, a state-provided health benefits risk pool, the federal employees’ health benefits program, a public health plan, and coverage provided through a local church.