Ohio Health Insurance
How to find an affordable plan.

A recent think tank study in the state of Ohio found that a typical 40 year old woman pays 20%-50% more for individual health insurance coverage than a typical man of the same age. While this premium disparity may seem unfair on the surface, if you dig deeper you discover that this is exactly how a free market health insurance system works. Health insurance costs women more because women use maternity services and men don’t. There are many other common sense examples that affect the market. Younger people get sick less than older people. People with diseases need more care and cost more than those that are healthy. Because of these real world truths, individual health insurance - meaning a policy outside of a group coverage often offered by employers - can be exceedingly expensive. Of course, not having health insurance can lead to serious financial consequences including personal bankruptcy. Government is attempting to address these concerns at the national level through Healthcare Reform which includes Ohio health insurance exchanges. But with the fate of this legislation uncertain there are some things you can do now to find affordable health insurance that are addressed later in this article.

Contact Information:

Leading Ohio Health Insurance Companies

Aetna of Ohio: Aetna offers many options to its Ohio customers when it comes to medical insurance. They have over a dozen different health and medical insurance plans, mostly PPO and HSA plans that offer a good balance between cost and features. Most of Aetna's health insurance plans in Ohio are PPO based.

HumanaOne of Ohio: Humana One's website has a friendly user interface with a, "Plan Pointer" to help you find the right plan for you. Their 3 major options- "Portrait," "Monogram" and "Autograph" provide individualized plan options for every circumstance.

Kaiser Permanente of Ohio: Kaiser Permanente offers three different types of plans for Ohio residents; copayment plans, deductible plans and health savings account plans with high deductible rates.

SummaCare of Ohio: SummaCare offers several different Ohio health insurance plans. These plans come in three different flavors, Silver, Gold, and Platinum.

How to Shop for Individual Health Insurance

The following circumstances and options will affect the cost of your individual health insurance policy:

Your age: The older you are the more expensive the premium. The exception is once you are Medicare eligible costs come down and can be better managed.

Your health: The healthier you are the lower the premiums.

Deductibles: The higher the deductible the lower the monthly cost of health insurance. Remember, you must come out of pocket first to cover a deductible so it is wise to have at least the equivalent in liquid savings.

Premium payment frequency: Paying your premium annually will typical reduce your overall costs.

Health Insurance Exchanges in Ohio

To learn more about the benefits of the Health Insurance Exchange in your state, click here

Resources and Information

• Ohio Department of Insurance
  http://www.insurance.ohio.gov/Pages/default.aspx
• Shopper's Guide to Health Insurance
  http://www.insurance.ohio.gov/Consumer/OCS/CompleteGuides/CompleteHealthGuide.pdf
• Insurance Companies Authorized to Transact Business in Ohio
  http://www.insurance.ohio.gov/reports/authlist.pdf
• How to File a Complaint
  http://www.insurance.ohio.gov/Consumer/OCS/Pages/ConsCompl.aspx
• Continuation of Group Coverage with COBRA
• How to Convert to an Individual Policy
• Additional Consumer Publications
  http://www.insurance.ohio.gov/Consumer/OCS/Pages/OCSPubIndexTab3.aspx
• Ohio Medicaid
  http://www.jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/
• Health Care Action Network of Ohio
  http://uhcanohio.org/
• Programs for Children, Pregnant Women and Families
  http://jfs.ohio.gov/ohp/consumers/familychild.stm

Ohio Medicare Plans

Seniors age 65 and older are eligible for a variety of Medicare plans in Ohio.  Medicare plan options include Medigap and Medicare Advantage policies:

• Ohio Medicare Plans
• Medicare Supplemental Insurance Plans in Ohio
• Medicare Advantage Plans in Ohio
• Medicare Part D Plans in Ohio
• Official U.S. Government Site for Medicare

Ohio Doctor Directory

Doctors practicing medicine in the State of Ohio are licensed by the state. Doctors accept different forms of health insurance which you can verify before setting an appointment.

• Directory of Doctors in Ohio - search by location and practice
• State Medical Board of OHIO - credentials and licensing