Wellmark has recently adopted the Milliman guidelines for underwriting their individual health insurance products in Iowa.
The Milliman guidelines look at a persons overall health status and then based on the condition that are present, certain points are assigned. Based on the points assigned, a premium rate is struck and the insured has the opportunity to either accept or reject the underwriting outcome. While at times this method may seem a little subjective, its intent is to allow a fairer adjudication of health status that was done before.
More often than not, it is better to complete and application and submit it so that underwriters have to make a decision, you then decide if you are happy with the outcome. With Wellmark, it costs you nothing except a little of your time to get an application submitted.