So you can’t get health insurance in Ohio? And you have been denied by three companies. Well…you do have some options. And I am not referring to those goofy Ohio health insurance discount plans or a policy with limited benefits like some of the Cinergy Ohio health plans.

As a result of HIPAA (The Health Insurance Portability & Accountability Act), four Ohio health insurance policies are available through Anthem. Plans range from basic catastrophic coverage to comprehensive major medical coverage. The basic “CMM” plans will often offer lower premiums, but feature lower coverages. The “HIC” plans are generally more expensive and include additional coverages such as prescription copays and unlimited lifetime benefits.

Pre-existing conditions are generally covered and the policy can be treated as short-term or long-term coverage. Each policy is issued by Anthem Blue Cross and uses the the large Anthem network for doctors and hospitals. You also may view a brochure that explains the specific coverages. And we’ll provide the simple application so you can apply for coverage.

So…if you can’t get health insurance in Ohio and you would like additional information on these plans, including current rates, please call (888) 513 6446 or email us at service@ohioquotes.com. Your personal information is never shared with any other third party.

Also, if you feel you can’t qualify for medical coverage and you are not eligible for COBRA, the Ohio Risk Pool may an option worth considering. You must be denied by two carriers and be without coverage for six months. But rates are fairly competitive.

Health care reform is one of the Ohio’s most contentious issues. President Obama wants government-sponsored health care, hoping costs will reduce. Insurers and doctors are concerned that patients will have fewer choices under Obama’s plan. Drug companies fear that quality of our health care will reduce. Consumers don’t want to be forced to buy plans they don’t want.

Sometimes it’s hard to determine the difference between myth and fact. One common myth is that Ohio consumers overwhelmingly want to see the current health care system changed. But that’s not true since recent polls indicate roughly half of Ohioans and the US population want to maintain the current system. While the current way is not perfect, perhaps it should be tweaked instead of overhauled.

Liz Peek wrote a very interesting article about Obama’s five “Health Care Myths.” I don’t necessarily agree with all of her assertions, but there are some very valid points she raises. If you’re concerned about Ohio health care, you’ll be interested in reading this article.

You can read the article in its entirety here.

Assurant Ohio health insurance plans are issued through their parent company, Time Insurance. And although Time is an established and reputable company, you may notice that I rarely recommend an Assurant Ohio health insurance plan. In fact, when you view your quotes, this company is seldom listed.

One important consideration is their  Ohio rates. In most parts of the state, their rates aren’t high. They are VERY high. For example, a monthly rate for comprehensive coverage (husband/wife ages 45 with two children) is $624, compared to United HealthCare’s rate of $389. Aetna’s rate is $479 and Anthem’s rate is $503. Assurant’s “MaxPlan” was compared to the most similar policy from the other carriers. Current rates will actually be higher for all carriers since these figures were from a few years ago.

Assurant’s Ohio HSA insurance rates are also quite high. The monthly rate for a $5700 family deductible is $408. Anthem’s rate for a $6000 deductible is only $306 and United HealthCare’s rate for a $5000 family deductible is only $326. Plan coverages were very similar.However, there are a few pockets of the state where their rates are worth looking at.

Assurant also offers optional health insurance plans at reduced rates, including the “CoreMed” plan. But coverages are greatly diminished and similar plans are also available from most of Ohio’s other carriers. We don’t think the “CoreMed” plan is a bad policy, but we simply feel there are better values from the other carriers.

An additional concern is the “complaint ratio” with the Ohio Department of Insurance. In 2007 (the most recent available data), the complaint ratio was twice as high as the other major Ohio health insurance carriers. In prior years, Assurant’s ratios were also quite high. However, recently, those figures have improved. Our relationship with Assurant has always been positive and we hope that some day their rates will be competitive again.

They do continue to offer somewhat attractive temporary health care rates. The policy is solid and applications are approved within 48 hours. In fact, we recommend this plan for Ohio child health insurance plans. Since most companies will NOT offer coverage to “children only” plans if they are under age 19, this plan will provide some relief.

When I am researching Ohio health plans, I consider all of the major companies, including Assurant. But  the consumer is my top priority. And if I feel Assurant’s plans are not the best fit for you, I will not recommend them.

Ohio Governor Ted Strickland is facing a massive budget shortfall of more than $3 billion. Filling that hole is not an easy task and many good programs may have to be cut back or eliminated. Some of the programs (other than dental coverage) at risk include preschool learning, Community health centers and mental health facilities.

The state’s poor could lose their Ohio dental insurance along with vision coverage and other types of care. However, administration officials say they plan to continue these services by temporarily using unspecified funds. Eventually, Strickland hopes the state will win a court case that will release $258 million of tobacco settlement money. If that does not occur, additional sever cutbacks could be coming.

If you need comprehensive dental coverage instead of a “discount” type of plan, we will probably use Anthem, Medical Mutual or UnitedHealthCare. Please contact us (see top of page) for a free quote.

Affordable Ohio dental insurance plans are available, regardless if the state cuts aid. A wide variety of plans can be found here, with premiums ranging from $10-$70 per month. WE’ll be happy to review any of the plans with you.

To read more about Ohio’s budget problems and how it may affect you, please click here. Because this is a very fluid topic, budget changes can be made very quickly.

So you need to buy an Ohio health insurance plan. You want an affordable high quality policy at the lowest available rate. But where do you buy it?

The best source for buying an Ohio health insurance plan is Ohioquotes.com. Recognized as Ohio’s premier resource for Ohio health care, you can instantly view, compare and apply for high quality health insurance plans.

But perhaps most importantly, when you buy your health insurance, your personal information is never sold or released to any other person or company. Unfortunately, many online health quoting websites sell your information to multiple brokers throughout the US. This leads to incessant emails and phone calls for many months.

Ohioquotes.com also guarantees that your Ohio health insurance premium will be the lowest available rate allowed by the state. Rates in Ohio are mandated, so when you buy your policy, it is impossible for any other site to charge a lower rate. All major companies are researched for you, including Anthem Blue Cross, Aetna, United HealthCare and Aetna.

Each year, when your policy renews, you’ll receive a copy of the current Ohio health insurance rates from the other major carriers. So, if your premium starts to rapidly increase, you’ll be able to buy a similar policy at an affordable rate (Assuming no major change in health).

For a free instant health insurance quote, simply click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page.