Rising health insurance premiums in Ohio are a concern for most Ohioans that pay for their own health care. Whether you’re an individual, family, self-employed or without Ohio medical coverage, rising health insurance premiums are starting to take their toll. But, affordable Ohio health insurance plans are available, and specific steps can be taken to reduce costs.

As the recognized premier trusted resource for affordable Ohio health coverage, we offer many low cost plans that are rich in coverage and may substantially reduce the amount you pay. If you don’t currently have health insurance, some of these plans are great “starter” plans that will keep your premiums low. The rates you view on this website are guaranteed to be the lowest allowable by the state. Rising health insurance premiums in Ohio will continue, but here are a few steps you can take now to reduce your cost:

• If you have been with the same health insurance company for more than three years and you have no significant medical issues, it may be time to compare quotes from different companies.

• Raise your major medical deductible. For example, by raising your deductible from $500 to $2,500, you could save $1,000 for an individual policy and more than $2,000 for a family policy. Assuming you don’t have many catastrophic claims, the total savings on your Ohio health insurance plan could be substantial.

• Consider an Ohio HSA (Ohio Health Savings Account). Premiums are 25%-50% less than traditional plans and preventive benefits are not subject to a deductible. Naturally, there are many other factors to consider and we’ll be happy to review your options. HSAs are a very popular form of affordable family health insurance.

• If your health has improved or you have stopped smoking since you purchased your Ohio policy, inquire about “changing your rate class.” It’s possible you may be able to reduce your rising health insurance premium.

• Health insurance for self employed persons can be very expensive. If you are the only insureds on a group plan, Ohio individual health insurance rates may be more affordable. However, individual plans may offer less coverage than your current group policy.

Increasing health insurance premiums in Ohio are one of our biggest concerns. We believe it’s important to carefully review all of your options and recommend specific plans that will allow you to stay within your budget.

To instantly view, compare or apply for affordable Ohio health care, please click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page. Or you can speak to us personally at (888) 513 6446. Your personal information is never shared with any other person or company.

Ohio Health Savings Accounts have a new contribution limit for 2010. The annual contribution limits have been increased to $3,050 for individual HSA coverage and $6,150 for family HSA coverage. The 2010 minimum annual deductible is $1,200 for individual HSA coverage and $2,500 for family HSA coverage.

A Health Savings Account (HSA) is an affordable alternative to traditional health insurance that offers Ohio residents an alternative method to pay for their health care. HSAs enable you to pay for current health expenses and save for future qualified medical expenses on a tax-free basis. Most major Ohio health insurance companies offer HSAs. The most competitive rates are offered by Anthem Blue Cross, Medical Mutual, Aetna, UnitedHealthOne and Humana.

You must be covered under a High Deductible Health Plan (HDHP) to qualify to make an HSA contribution. An HDHP is an inexpensive health insurance policy that costs substantially less than a traditional Ohio health insurance plan, and offers you the opportunity to deposit the money you save into the HSA.

As Ohio’s premier trusted resource for affordable HSA coverage, we research all of the major health insurance companies. Only the highest-quality plans are considered with most offering preventive coverage that is not subject to a deductible. The quotes rates are the lowest allowable by the state.

To instantly view, compare or apply for an Ohio HSA, please click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of this page. Your personal information is never shared with any other person or company.

Department of the Treasury Official HSA Publication

Ohio COBRA Health Insurance coverage will last another six months after recent legislation extended the length of the federal COBRA subsidy from 9 months to 15 months.  Also, more Ohio residents will qualify for COBRA coverage since workers laid off from Sept. 1 2008 to Feb. 28 2010 will be eligible for the Ohio COBRA Health insurance coverage. With this subsidy, eligible workers only pay 35% of their total COBRA premiums to continue to receive health insurance coverage through their former employers.

COBRA is a federal law that allows employees that leave their jobs to continue and maintain their former employee’s health insurance coverage for 18 months. Normally, employees are required to pay the entire cost of the coverage, making COBRA benefits unaffordable for most Ohio workers.

Income restrictions limit coverage to Ohio individuals that make less than $145,000 and to Ohio families that make less than $290,000. Also, COBRA is offered with group health plans when employers have more than 20 employees. Voluntary or involuntary termination of employment (other than gross misconduct) or a reduction in the number of hours of employment are “qualifying events” that would allow employees to become eligible for COBRA. The United States Department Of Labor offers additional information online.

However, it is possible that Ohio COBRA premiums (even after the subsidy) will be expensive and possibly unaffordable. If there are no existing major health conditions, an individual Ohio health insurance policy is an alternative to COBRA health insurance. Depending on age, zip code and some other factors, rates may be quite affordable. And this type of coverage can be kept indefinitely, without the worry of a major health condition occurring just before coverage expires.

We’re Ohio’s premier resource for affordable Ohio COBRA health insurance alternatives. Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, Medical Mutual and UnitedHealthOne are some of the major health insurers we consider when researching your options. If you would like to instantly view your options, please click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page. Your personal information will never be shared with any other person or company.

Ohio Medicaid Health Insurance is available to many Ohio residents and offers two programs for children, families and pregnant women with low income that may not be able to afford Ohio health care. “Healthy Start” and “Healthy Families” are available to Ohio residents that have a social security number and meet certain financial requirements.

“Healthy Start” (also known as “SCHIP”) is available to children under age 19 and pregnant women in families with income up to 200% of the federal poverty level. Healthy Start does NOT impose a pre-existing condition clause. Once eligible for Ohio Medicaid, each child will have access to Healthchek, Ohio’s early and periodic screening, diagnosis and treatment program. Federal poverty level income requirements can be found here. 

“Healthchek” provides Ohio children (through age 20) preventative, diagnosis and treatment services. Eight checkups in the first two years of life along with follow-up annual checkups provide comprehensive health care. Each physical examination includes a medical history review, complete unclothed exam, vision and dental screening and other screenings and services (as needed).

Other Ohio Healthchek services include hearing and immunization assessments and additional diagnosis and treatment if a potential health problem is discovered. Any necessary lab tests, immunizations and nutritional advice will also be provided. Additional Healthchek information can be found here.

“Healthy Families” is an Ohio Medicare program available to families with income up to 90% of the federal poverty level. Each family must have a child under age 19. This program provides comprehensive coverage to members including doctor visits, prescriptions, hospital care, mental health services, well-child examinations, and dental and vision services.

To apply for coverage for either “Healthy Start” or “Healthy Families,” Ohio residents can call (800) 324 8680 or visit the Ohio Government website and apply online.

Ohio residents not eligible for Medicaid can obtain low cost Ohio health insurance plans from Ohioquotes.com, the state’s premier resource for affordable health insurance plans. For an instant quote, please click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page.

Low cost individual Cincinnati (Ohio) health insurance plans can be viewed and purchased from the premier resource for affordable Ohio health plans… Ohioquotes.com. Rates are guaranteed to be the lowest allowable by the state, and affordable plans are offered by the major Cincinnati area insurers, such as Anthem Blue Cross, UnitedHealthOne, Medical Mutual, Aetna and Humana.

When purchasing Ohio Individual health insurance plans, it is extremely important to work with an experienced broker located in the area. Many online health insurance websites are not familiar with Cincinnati health plans because they are not located in Ohio. Also, it is likely that many of the out-of-state websites will sell your information to other brokers across the country. And unless you enjoy irritating phone calls and emails, it may not be a pleasant experience.

Cincinnati individual health insurance plans are quite affordable when compared with other parts of the state. Anthem’s comprehensive plans (Premier, SmartSense and Value) are usually very competitively priced, if you feel office visit and prescriptions coverages are important to have. UnitedHealthone’s “Copay Select” individual plan offers comprehensive coverages at extremely attractive rates.

Ohio individual health insurance rates substantially reduce when you consider plans that limit the number of covered office visits and the type of covered prescriptions. Aetna’s “Preventative & Hospital Care” and UnitedHealthOne’s “Copay Saver” plans limit office and prescription coverage, but offer a low cost alternative to higher-priced Cincinnati health coverage. Catastrophic plans (UnitedHealthOne’s Saver 80 plan) are very popular in the Cincinnati area to those that are concerned only with major medical expenses.

Low cost individual Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) have also grown in popularity in recent years. An HSA provides the opportunity to tax-deduct a portion of your medical expenses, and also provide 100% coverage after a deductible has been met. Perhaps the best low cost HSAs for the Cincinnati area are the Anthem Lumenos and Medical Mutual’s SuperMed One Wellness plans. Preventative benefits are paid without having to meet the deductible and rates are much lower than conventional plans.

Low cost individual Ohio health insurance plans are available in the Cincinnati area and most parts of the state. Ohioquotes.com is the premier resource for affordable Ohio health care and is based in Springboro. For a no-cost estimate or additional information, please call (888) 513 6446 or visit ohioquotes.com. You may also instantly view your options by clicking on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page.