Affordable Health Insurance Options in Ohio: An Interview With Ohio Department of Insurance Director

According to the United States Census Bureau, 87.7 percent of Ohioans had some form of health insurance coverage during 2005, while 12.3 percent were not insured at any time during the year. Additionally, 14 percent of Ohio residents under the age of sixty-five did not have health insurance during 2005.

AFFORDABLE HEALTH INSURANCE OPTIONS IN OHIO

Most Ohioans who have health insurance are covered by either employer based plans or government programs. What options are available for individuals who do not have access to such coverage? Ohio Department of Insurance Director, Ann Womer Benjamin, references the "increasing number of options with Health Savings Accounts. There may be a person, or a family, generally comfortable paying for health care costs, but wants a high deductible policy. Also, for fairly young, fairly healthy individuals, an HSA coupled with a High Deductible Health Plan could really work."

Health Savings Accounts are not feasible for everyone. Ohio residents who are not interested in HSAs should try to take advantage of alternative plans and programs. "Ohio has an Open Enrollment Program that takes (uninsured individuals) regardless of pre-existing conditions, but is likely costly", Womer Benjamin explains.

HEALTH CARE COVERAGE LEGISLATION

There are currently two bills in the Ohio Legislature, Senate Bill 272 and House Bill 5 / Senate Bill 5 that are generally supported by the Ohio Department of Insurance as methods of expanding access to health insurance coverage.

Senate Bill 272 would repeal the Open Enrollment Program, as well as the Open Enrollment Reinsurance Program. In its place, the Ohio Health Insurance Risk Pool would be created to provide health care coverage to individuals who are unable to obtain affordable health care coverage in any other manner. This would eliminate the annual periods of open enrollment that sickness and accident insurers, health insurance corporations, and multiple employer welfare arrangements (MEWAs) are currently required to hold. "The Ohio Health Insurance Risk Pool would provide a state fund for those without health insurance coverage. We would support this concept and have various suggestions for funding. We would theoretically be able to reach ten times more individuals than the Open Enrollment Program does currently", says Womer Benjamin.

House Bill 5 / Senate Bill 5 would permit small employers to offer health care plans that do not provide benefits otherwise required by law. The bill provides for the operation of health savings accounts that are consistent with federal law, and places a limit on an insured's liability for co-payments and deductibles under a health benefit plan. ODI Director Womer Benjamin asserts that the bill "would provide more options for small businesses, and we are hopeful that that will pass".

THE MASSACHUSETTS EXAMPLE

On April 4, 2006, Massachusetts House Bill 4850 was overwhelmingly passed by the state legislature. All Massachusetts residents will be required to obtain health insurance coverage by July 1, 2007. The state's plan dictates that businesses with more than ten employees that do not provide health insurance coverage will be charged a fee of as much as $295 a year for each employee. Government subsidies to private insurance plans will provide affordable health insurance to a greater number of the working poor, and individuals who can afford private health plans will be penalized on their state income taxes if they do not have coverage. Should Ohio consider a similar plan in order to achieve nearly universal health insurance coverage? Ohio Department of Insurance Director Ann Womer Benjamin says that we need to "watch Massachusetts and evaluate the plan's success and funding". "Ohio has a larger number of uninsured individuals and is different than Massachusetts, politically."

Ohioans have a large selection of health insurance carriers and government programs to choose from. Regardless of the provider, it is extremely important for individuals to obtain a health insurance plan. Director Womer Benjamin emphasizes that she is "concerned with people who don't think they need health insurance coverage".

About The Ohio Department of Insurance

The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) is an informative resource for those seeking information regarding health insurance options in the state. ODI asserts that its mission is to be "responsive to and safeguard consumer interests through education and vigilance while promoting a stable and competitive marketplace among insurance providers". The Ohio Department of Insurance can help uninsured persons sort through their options, depending on their individual circumstances. For more information, call the ODI Consumer Hotline at 1-800-686-1526.

The Department is headed by Director Ann Womer Benjamin, who was appointed in January of 2003, and is the first woman to hold this position. Prior to this appointment, Womer Benjamin served in the Ohio House of Representatives for eight years.

Erin Shaughnessy is a freelance writer of political and consumer advocacy articles, and is a frequent contributor to Fast Health Insurance [http://www.fast-health-insurance.com/].

This post was made using the Auto Blogging Software from WebMagnates.org This line will not appear when posts are made after activating the software to full version.

Low Cost Health Insurance Options Are Overlooked

Let's stick with the concept that something is better than nothing. Low cost health insurance alternatives are the only solution to millions of people right now. If you're uninsured you either don't have a job, don't have enough money to pay for an expensive plan or you don't have good enough health for a standard plan. Which category are you in?

This article is dedicated to a couple of overlooked health care options that millions of uninsured Americans can afford yet they don't have. Spreading awareness about these options is vital in helping improve our health care crisis.

The negative affects of not having health insurance are very straight forward. You end up with medical collections that ruin your credit and tax payers cover your bill. This is one of the reasons health care costs keep going up as the insured are now under more strain to help compensate for all the uninsured. Finding a low cost health insurance alternative that actually is within your financial budget can save you from adding to this problem.

There are two plans cheaper than short term health insurance that stick out and remain ready and waiting for you to jump on. The great thing about these plans is you don't have to worry about being turned down. Anyone under 64yrs of age can enroll. If you've already checked for a short term plan and can't afford the premium then this is your solution. One of these two low cost health insurance options will be within your reach.

Your first option is a form of supplemental health care. A fixed indemnity plan pays you a fixed amount of cash when qualified medical services are needed. The coverage is very broad and for many individuals a fixed indemnity plan is all they will ever need. Only a major, life changing health condition would be enough to outweigh the protection of these plans. A fixed indemnity plan is one of the most valuable dollar for dollar health care options available today.

The plan provides network discounts like an HMO, so you save money on your medical needs. Most insurers give you a card that you use like a credit card when you need a medical service. Fixed indemnity plans are low cost health insurance plans simply because you pay the monthly premium and don't have to worry about a deductible or co-insurance costs. There is a set cash amount credited you for each service you receive. For example, a visit to your doctor would bring you a $50 credit. If you needed a name brand drug prescribed while you're there, you would receive a $25 credit for the prescription.

The plan also covers allergy shots and immunizations, outpatient medical events, surgery, anesthesia, ground and air ambulance, emergency room or urgent care and inpatient hospital confinement. The primary insured on the plan also receives a built in life insurance policy to cover final expenses. If you're stuck in the hospital, you'll receive $2,000 a day for illnesses and $4,000 a day for injuries. As you can see, there is plenty of value in these plans, but how much do they cost you might wonder?

The cost of your premium for a fixed indemnity plan is based strictly on your age, but can also be affected by where you live. Pre-existing conditions are not covered under these plans so you're not penalized for any health conditions including smoking. In most cases, the premiums are slightly higher than short term premiums...usually between $20-$50, depending on the deductible and co-insurance you might choose for a short term plan. As stated though, you avoid the cost of deductibles and co-insurance with a fixed indemnity plan.

For a base example, a 35 yr old male would pay $120 a month. This same male with an equal aged spouse and one child would run a monthly premium of $330, a slight discount for family pricing. By way of comparison, you could easily pay $330 just for yourself without factoring in the rest of your family or deductibles and co-insurance using a traditional health insurance plan.

We highly recommend Assurant Health's "Health Access" fixed indemnity plan. It's a very mainstreamed, popular choice used by many large scale companies like Wells Fargo for their employees. This is a tremendously underused health care plan that millions of uninsured people need to start considering as soon as possible.

The other option is a simple health discount plan. This is by far the cheapest route and for good reason. Health discount plans are not insurance, so technically it really isn't low cost health insurance. Regardless, it remains at tremendous value when utilized.

You receive discounts on services you select that cover your entire family. There are three choices you can choose to receive discounts for and we will again use Assurant's Discount Plan for this example. You can pick any combination or all of the discount options to customize your plan.

The first option is the medical discount plan which saves you up to 40% on physician and hospital services, prescriptions, dental and eye care. This option costs $20 a month. The dental and vision plan provides discounts on a broader range of services including eyeglasses and vitamins for $10 a month. There is also a prescription discount plan for $8 a month that covers additional drug, hearing and nutritional care.

Combining all three plans together provides substantial discounts for your family for about $38 a month. This is as cheap as health care plans get. The sad fact is that there a countless uninsured families who could easily afford the $38 a month for a discount plan like this and they go without. If you can afford to combine both of these low cost health insurance options together we strongly suggest you do.

Having a fixed indemnity plan with a health discount plan on top of it makes sense. You'll maximize your protection and still be paying far less than you would with any standard health insurance plan. It all comes down to understanding your health care options and being proactive.

You'll need to check to see if your state will allow you to enroll in either their "Health Access" fixed indemnity plan or the Health Discount Plan as coverage isn't available in every state.

These plans need to be utilized on a much greater level if America's health care problem is going to start improving. Now that you've read this page, spread awareness!

Thank you for reading our article. We welcome you to visit our web site for more information.
Our Brand Statement; "You are the best source for deciding the right health care plan for yourself and your family. Insurance agents don't know your budget or your family's health history. Insurance is a game of risk. Who better to judge and balance your personal risk than you?"

For more information on applying for the plans in this article, visit us at http://my-cheap-health-insurance.com and use our web site as your guide. It will make you aware of the affects your health status has on your insurance costs. We seek to educate and inform by spreading health care awareness and also provide all the resources you need to make it easy finding the best coverage available in your area.