OK to lie about pre-existing condition?

I'm 27, and since I'm not covered under my parents' health insurance anymore, I recently applied for health insurance for the first time. I was very thorough in explaining my history, and I was denied. It frustrates me to no end because this is MY LIFE WE ARE TALKING ABOUT.

I've had three colonoscopies in the last 6 years. The first diagnosis - some inflammation, here are some pills to take for a month. The second diagnosis (in Korea while teaching English) - you have ulcerative colitis, here are some pills to take for the rest of your life. The third diagnosis (same doctor in the U.S. as the first time) - just some inflammation but not UC, here are some pills to take for a month.

I go 9 months out of the year with absolutely no digestive or colon health problems while consuming coffee, alcohol, gluten, dairy, and soy, but every October - December I can usually only produce blood, not solid matter, when I try to poop. My uncle died of colon cancer, and my parents have polyps removed every few years.

Should I just lie about this history when applying for health insurance? Aside from mild seasonal allergies that OTC meds treat wonderfully and the aforementioned seasonal colon inflammation, I have no other medical issues. I just really need to see a doctor once a year about these colon issues, and I would also like insurance in the event of an unplanned event. In the meantime, I've gone gluten-free and dairy-free to see if that'll get me to poop normally. I've been a vegetarian the past two years. I see no other choice but to lie on my next application, but I don't want to be in a situation where I only pay $200 for a $3,000 colonoscopy and later have to pay back my insurance company the other $2,800 because they've become aware of the issues I didn't mention on my application.

P.S. I live in California.

[timamr]

I would never lie on a health insurance application.  For two reasons (3 if you count lying as a reason not too):

1.  All you will be doing is wasting your time and the agents time because ALL insurance companies run your medical records thru the MIB (Medical Information Bureau) and they WILL know all of your past and present conditions.  More than likely, if one company declined you, 99.9% of the time all others will.

2.  Let's say you are the exception and you get approved because for whatever reason underwriting did not catch your pre-existing condition.  Rest assured, when you have a claim and they go back and check and find out you had that pre-exisiting condition already, they will not pay the claim and probably drop you as well.

I am a licensed agent in FL so I cannot help you.  I wish I could.  However, each state is different and I know if you lived in FL, you could get a Guaranteed Issue plan with no questions asked.  It is not Major Medical but most of the time, the best thing you can get and they are really good plans nonetheless!  I would recommend googling "guaranteed issue health insurance plans in CA."

Hope that helps and good luck!