Ohio Medical Discount Plans

The Good: They don’t cost much. The Bad: A lot of things. The Ugly: Even more things.  You may have seen these slogans on television or online:

“No deductibles or copays”

“Discounts up to 50%”

“All pre-existing conditions accepted”

Quite simply… An “Ohio Medical Discount Plan” is not insurance since the member is responsible for paying all medical bills. These plans simply offer lower prices on services that accept these discounts.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), some medical discount plans claim to offer huge discounts for a wide range of services, including hospital stays, doctors visits, prescription drugs and dental exams. And many of these plans gladly take consumer’s money without offering much in return.

Ohio medical discount plans are also spreading. Many companies from outside of Ohio are targeting residents. To lure customers, it’s quite common they’ll make unusual promises about savings and benefits. The salespersons marketing these plans often don’t need (or have) a license or healthcare background. Mysterious upfront “administration” charges and hidden expenses also tend to show up with these types of plans.

But help is on the way. In 2007, Ohio law placed new requirements on discount medical plans in an effort to provide greater consumer protection. This law requires medical discount plans to have written agreements with network hospitals and doctors to help insure consumers received promised discounts. In fact, the Ohio Department of Insurance can investigate and take action against medical discount plans that violate the law.

In rare instances, where members are uninsurable, and the Ohio Open Enrollment plan is too expensive, an Ohio medical discount plan may be the only option. But if you are forced to consider this type of coverage, please follow these suggestions:

*Call your local Better Business Bureau to find about complaints against the company.

*Make sure that any type of “up-front fee” is completely refundable.

* If your personal medical and dental providers don’t participate in the plan, go elsewhere.

*Instead of purchasing this type of plan, you may be able to negotiate a similar discount directly with your personal providers.

Ohio medical discount plans are not the same as Ohio health insurance plans. Please…be careful!

Deductibles. Copays. Co-Insurance. Maximums.  And that’s just the tip of the insurance iceberg! If you’re not confused by all of these terms, then you’re one of the lucky ones. Ohio Health Insurance basics can be learned.

It is important to understand, that a slight difference of the “co-insurance” in your policy, could save you thousands of dollars. Or…cost you thousands of dollars! Different deductibles can also have a tremendous impact on the rates.

This video, provided courtesy of Humama Insurance Company, will help you better understand some of the provisions of your Ohio health insurance policy.

MIB Group Inc.  (“MIB”) is an industry trade organization owned by more than 450 insurance companies. Formerly, the “Medical Information Bureau, the MIB detects and deters fraud that may occur while applying for life, health, disability, long-term and critical-illness insurance.

Each year, consumers may obtain one free copy of their medical records and question the accuracy of any item in their file, and request correction of it in accordance with the procedures of the federal Fair Credit Reporting Act (“FCRA”). When a consumer disputes a particular item, the member company that reported the information is contacted, and immediately conducts an investigation to determine if the disputed information was complete an accurate.

To obtain a free copy of your consumer file, you may call (866) 692-6901. However, if you have not applied for individual life, health or disability insurance within the last seven years, there will not be an available consumer file. Also, you will likely be asked personal identification information and to certify that you are the person requesting disclosure.

The MIB Consumer Guide provides extensive information regarding what companies do with your information, and how that information gets in your file. The MIB automatically and uniformly purges records after seven years.

Ohioquotes.com, the premier website for Ohio health insurance plans, will gladly provide additional information regarding the MIB upon request.

Consumer-driven health care (CDHC) refers to health insurance policies that allow policyholders to use Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and other medical-payment plans to pay routine medical expenses. Separately, a high-deductible health insurance policy covers the catastrophic claims. The combination of these two plans generally costs less than conventional Ohio health insurance plans. The balance (if any) of a pre-funded spending account is kept by the policyholder and “rolled over” to the next year.

Sound complicated? Maybe a bit. I (myself, wife and two children) have this type of coverage so I can personally endorse the idea.

The folks at Humana are quite effective at explaining the concept. I think you’ll find this video quote informative.

Evidently, you know where to buy your Ohio health insurance, because you’re here! Ohioquotes.com is the premier source for Ohio health insurance plans. If you don’t currently have insurance, or you’re looking for a more affordable policy, you have come to the right place.  But there are hundreds…perhaps thousands of websites that will provide rates.

So…what makes this website so special? Let’s start with the plans that are presented to you. Only quality companies are considered. You know…the reputable ones, such as Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, UnitedHealthCare, Medical Mutual, Celtic and Humana. You’ll never find any type of “discount plan” or any company that I wouldn’t use for my own coverage.

Comparing different Ohio health care plans can be very confusing. But we try to simplify the process for you. Side-by-side comparisons allow you to select the coverages that you need and choose an affordable plan. And if you apply for coverage, you’ll get plenty of help. Your short application can be completed online, via fax or by mail. And a live person is generally available to assist you. We answer emails past midnight!

Just as importantly, when you are requesting an Ohio health insurance quote, do you want six out-of-state brokers incessantly calling you and possibly recommending the wrong plans? Of course not. Many online quote websites are simply selling your information to anyone that will pay for it. This site? We never release your information to anyone. And nobody will ever ask for your checking account or credit card number. If you want us to call you, we will. But otherwise, we promise not to call.

But what about the rates? Are they truly the lowest available  rates? You betcha! And that’s a guarantee. Ohio health care rates are regulated by the Department of Insurance. So, you won’t find a lower premium. And we’ll take the extra time to make sure the plan you purchase is the right fit. You’ll be able to use the coverages that are important to you, and avoid paying for items that you don’t need and would never use.

With 30 years of experience, we have helped thousands of customers. When you buy Ohio medical coverage,  whether it’s an online link we provide or by fax or email, we research your options like no other website or broker. We understand each plan and will simplify the application process and get you covered as quickly as possible. And of course, when you request a comparison at the top of the page, the quote is free!