Will Your Medical Insurance Increase For Having Too Many Claims?

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

The more claims you submit on your medical insurance, the higher your rate will become. Is that true here in Ohio? Well, not really. Whether you have an incredibly healthy year or just one of those years when you and everyone else in the family caught the flu six times, it probably will not make a significant difference in your health care premium.

I realize many Ohioans may not be aware of this. You’re probably used to your auto insurance tripling after three or four accidents in the last three years. Or perhaps your homeowner’s policy being canceled after two roof claims and a hailstorm that ruined your shed. But health care is different.

Of course you want to have very few claims each year. Because that means you and other family members were healthy and other than your premium, you paid very little copays, deductibles or coinsurance. It also means that if you had an active Ohio Health Savings Account (HSA), more of your contributions stayed in your account, instead of being disbursed for qualified expenses.

However, to the surprise of many folks here in the Buckeye State, generally, your medical insurance rate does not necessarily increase based on the volume of claims you submit. For example, if during the calendar year, you have numerous surgeries along with many prescriptions and specialist office visits that total more than $100,000, your insurer is not going to attempt to “recoup their losses” by doubling or tripling your rate.

Health insurance rates do increase just about every year. But the real cause of your premium going up may not be you. Here’s how it works: When you originally bought your medical insurance plan, you were “clumped” together with similar persons that purchased that same type of policy at the same time. Thus, if you purchased your coverage in March of 2012, you are unlikely to be placed in the same group of persons that bought their policy in June of 2009.

Very extensive statistics are kept on the block of business for your specific plan. Over time, some policyholders will cancel, others will renew, and some will add or subtract dependents. And of course, there will be families that have very few claims and others with huge claims each year.

Typically, those insureds in very good or excellent health will tend to shop around for better rates within a few years and many will cancel their coverage and start a policy with a different company. For example, a person may purchase a policy with Humana. And after three years of rate increases, they buy a similar plan from Medical Mutual and reduce their premium by 20%. Does this sound familiar? That’s why it pays to shop every 3-5 years (although there are other considerations).

Let’s take this a step further. Let’s say you have a block of 10,000 males in their mid-40s that bought the same type of Ohio medical insurance policy in a given year. Five years later, 2,000 of the healthiest policyholders switch to a different company to get a better rate. Now, you have a block of business of 8,000 persons and the percentage of claims paid per premium has jumped. So guess what else must jump? That’s right…the rate.

And so eventually, you may have a block of business that consists of even more unhealthy persons submitting multiple claims and far fewer extremely healthy people submitting very few claims. If you’re uninsurable, you may be stuck. If you are reasonably healthy, you can find an alternative.

So…although your own claim history won’t alter rates, collectively, many policyholders can.    Should you now shop for new health care coverage every year? Every six months? The answer is no. But if you notice that your premiums are constantly increasing by larger amounts each year, then contact us and we’ll review your current policy and determine if there are better options for you.

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Reduce The Deductible On Your Ohio Health Insurance Policy

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Reduce the deductible on your Ohio health insurance plan.  UnitedHealthcare and Assurant now offer reductions to your major medical deductible if you meet certain conditions. It’s very possible if you and other family members remain healthy, your potential Ohio medical insurance out of pocket expenses will come down. Here’s a quick look at each company’s program:

UnitedHealthCare’s “deductible credit” provides a 20% reduction  on your policy every year you don’t meet that amount. This discount will be applied every year until you reach 50%, which is the maximum. The savings can be substantial, especially if you have a high deductible, such as $10,000. Even on lower amounts, it’s an easy way to save money if you have a big hospital claim. It’s also incentive, of course, for you to stay with UHC for many years.

So, hypothetically, if you rarely (if ever) met your deductible, you could effectively  lower your premiums by selecting a higher amount, wait a few years and eventually it becomes that lower amount you wanted! But you saved a few thousand dollars every year (assuming a family plan). This isn’t a bad concept! Maybe UnitedHealthCare’s  plan is even better than we thought! And they are one of the few carriers to offer this feature. In most areas of the state, they are a competitive option.

The most cost-effective plans offered by UHC are their “Saver 80,” “Copay Select” and HSA policies, so these plans may be best suited to consider the  credit during the purchase process. The “Copay Select” is the most expensive plan of the three, since it includes an office visit and prescription copay. However, that means this feature is more valuable on this particular policy.

Assurant offers a “One Decreasing Deductible” feature that uses “credits” twice per year in the amount of 10% of your current choice. These “credits” accumulate and are posted the first day of January and July once your personal policy has been in effect for 60 days. If you have met  the amount within the last 12 months, the credit still is applied.

It’s possible that your plan deductibles could decrease to $1,500 for an individual and $3,000 for a family. Total reduction could be as much as 50%-70%. Not too shabby! However, this benefit is only available on Assurant policies with 100% coinsurance. And in most areas of Ohio, Assurant’s rates tend to be rather high, although they seem to be reducing. Their VERY high out-of-pocket plans are the most competitive.

What about Anthem BC, Aetna and Medical Mutual? Not quite yet although Anthem does offer this benefit in Indiana. We expect more companies to offer a variation of this coverage within the next 12-24 months. And, most importantly, often, you are still better off with a policy from a company that does not have the vanishing deductible option. The rates and coverage may be superior to the companies that have it. Regardless, we’ll always give you an unbiased opinion, the lowest available Ohio health insurance rates and three easy ways to apply for coverage.

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Ohio Health Insurance Exchange Will Not Cover Abortion

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Abortion coverage will not be provided by the Exchange. John Kasich, Ohio’s Governor, signed a bill that prohibits the purchase of any policy in the Exchange that covers abortion. Naturally, opponents and supporters of the bill voiced their opinion on the legislation.

The group “Ohio Right To Life” generally supports the bill, agreeing that consumers have a right to health care, but not at the expense of a “death to an innocent child.” The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) is not happy with the bill and has threatened to sue the state. Other smaller groups and organizations have also expressed strong opinions on this very contentious subject.

One of the key issues is whether citizens of the state should be forced to pay for abortions if “Obamacare” is fully implemented. Individual states are allowed to exclude abortion from covered benefits if it is stipulated by law. This recently signed bill actually originated in 2010 and had both Democratic and Republican support in June of this year. It would not be surprising to see other states pass similar bills.

Of course, the “Exchange” may never become a reality anyhow since it is part of the controversial Patient Protection And Affordable Care Act (also known as “Obamacare”). Currently, Buckeye residents can purchase a wide variety of policies at affordable rates through Ohioquotes.com or other websites, insurers or brokers. The purchase process is relative simply and usually, experienced unbiased assistance is available.

However, if the Ohio Health Insurance Exchange does ever go into effect (probably 2014 or perhaps earlier), consumers may not have the choices they have now, and may not enjoy the free advice of experienced licensed professionals. As a government-run entity, many questions still remain on how high medical rates will become and how quickly they’ll increase. Although federal subsidies will offset some of these costs (not all of them), it remains unclear who will ultimately pay for them. Most of the details (we hope) would be worked out by 2014 although full implementation will not be completed until well after that date.

Regardless of the future of the Protection And Affordable Care Act, Ohioquotes.com will continue to be the most respected reference for consumers. Ohioans like (and demand) to work with a local experienced firm that provides the lowest cost options and is available to explain in detail individual and family options. So…whether the Exchange gets off the ground or not, your best bet may be working directly with us, so we can guide you through the process. And as most of you know, we will continue to offer the lowest rates that are offered for private medical insurance here in Ohio.

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Can I Trust Purchasing Ohio Medical Insurance Online?

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Can I trust purchasing Ohio medical insurance online? Yes. When you buy health coverage through our website, any information you provide is kept private and the rates you are quoted are the best rates you can find from any broker, internet site or directly through an insurer. You’ll save time and money while you are getting expert guidance.

Most applications are submitted online through a link you are provided on our website. You create your own log-in name and password that only you know. Any information you provide is electronically forwarded to the carrier. We do not view any of the details unless you allow it. Of course, we’ll help you throughout the entire process of applying for your health insurance plan. And we keep you updated throughout the underwriting process.

You can also trust the other methods of purchasing coverage. Many customers here  prefer to fax or email the actual applications. We provide a secure email and fax system that ensures that only ONE person will receive your paperwork before the insurer receives the paperwork. Depending on the company, it’s possible you may not have to provide any type of billing information when you apply. Of course, we’re always happy to explain each company’s guidelines. And we’ll make it very easy and understandable for you.

The plans you see on our website are the best policies offered by each Ohio health insurance company. There are more than 500 available plan combinations so we carefully choose the best 40-80 policies that provide the most benefits for the lowest price. We realize that’s still too many to consider, so upon request, we’ll look at your specific requirements, and pick out the best 4-8 policies. Just call or email us.

We understand that every individual or family has different needs. For some, low office visit copays and mid-range deductibles may be important. For others, high deductibles and cheap premiums may be what they are looking for. If you tell us what type of coverage you want, we’ll save you a lot of time and money by finding it for you.

Sometimes, Anthem Blue Cross is the best available choice. But many times Medical Mutual, UnitedHealthOne, or perhaps even a smaller company such as Celtic makes more sense. We’re here to advise you and make the decision-making process easy. We’re considered an extremely trustworthy resource for Ohio consumers that buy health insurance online. The combination of live assistance and modern technology is a potent combination!

So yes….it is indeed very safe to apply for coverage online in Ohio. We’ll help you qualify for the lowest possible rates and make sure you’re comparing the best health care policies.

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Ohio Supreme Court Rules Against Obamacare

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Obamacare health insurance took a hit this week when the Ohio Supreme Court ruled that an amendment blocking the controversial health care overhaul can and will be on the ballot in November. Ohioans can now vote to exclude themselves from a federal law that would require the purchase of medical coverage plans.

ProgressOhio had claimed that many signatures on the original petition should not have counted. But the Ohio Court disagreed, after considering the allegations and reviewing more than 400,000 signatures.

Currently Ohio health insurance rates are among the lowest in the US. Inexpensive individual and family plans are available at rates that are generally 20%-50% less than many other states. Ohioquotes.com provides free comparison shopping to consumers, who can freely select the company and type of coverage they want. It’s likely that freedom will be ending if national health care reform, in its present format, is fully enacted in 2014.

The Supreme Court will also be ruling in 2012 (June?) to determine if individuals can be forced to buy health care.

Jo Jingles of Reuters wrote an excellent article providing additional information. Here it is.

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Your Health Insurance Quotes Are Free!

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Your Health Insurance Quotes Are Free! I’m probably asked a few times per week how much we charge, what are our fees, and are the  quotes free? I assure you that we never charge any fees or charge you for any advice or information you get from this website.

Ohioquotes.com is the recognized trusted authority for Ohio health insurance rates, information, applying for coverage and Exchange information. With 30 years of experience, you won’t find a more unbiased resource for individual and family medical plans. Whether it’s Anthem Blue Cross, Humana, UnitedHealthOne, Medical Mutual or any other carrier, the rates you receive are the lowest each company offers. And we take accuracy very seriously, so we constantly verify the premiums.

And not only are the quotes free, but when you apply for coverage through our website, we’ll help guide you through the application, keep you updated on the progress, and review the policy to make sure the rate and coverage is acceptable to you. Whether you keep your policy 10 days or 10 years, we will always be available to help you with any coverage, billing or claim issues.

When the Ohio Health Insurance Exchange goes into effect in 2014, consumers will have the option of purchasing coverage through this “Exchange,” a myriad of plans, rates and tax credit jargon that will likely be very confusing. Assuming Obamacare is not repealed or stricken down by the Supreme Court, we will continue to provide guidance and assistance when applying for  coverage. We will also provide advice and support regarding any tax credit issues. But so much can change (recent legislation), in a short period of time. We’ll certainly keep you updated.

And if you want to call us…the phone call is also free! If after viewing your quotes you need our help, just call us at (888) 513 6446. If you get the dreaded voicemail, we’ll try to return the call as quickly as possible. If you would like to be contacted by email, we’re available until midnight most nights!

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Ohio “Child Only” Health Insurance Plans

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Ohio child-only health insurance plans are not easy to find. Most of the health care providers do not offer this type of coverage due to some of the changes implemented with Obamacare. However, there is one option worth considering if you need to insure one or more children under the age of 19.

The Assurant “Short-Term” policy will approve a “child-only” policy (assuming the application is accepted and underwriting guidelines are met). Since it is a temporary policy, typically you can keep coverage for up to a year. However, during that time, we’ll help you find other affordable options that may offer the long-term protection you may need. Periodically, another carrier may offer a more comprehensive option.

Deductible options range from $250 to $5,000. Subsequent coinsurance options are also offered at either 0%, 20% or 50%. Generally, we recommend the 0% or 20% options. A generous lifetime maximum of $2 million insures that major illness and disease will be covered. The unlimited lifetime benefit mandated by health care reform, does not apply to these Ohio child-only policies. And many other similar plans only include a $250,000 limit.

Office visits, prescriptions, emergency room charges, X-rays, lab tests and hospital expenses are all covered but subject to a deductible of your choice. Although the policy allows you to utilize your own doctors and facilities, we highly recommend you use providers in the Assurant network. Your out of pocket costs will substantially reduce and there are thousands of providers throughout Ohio. Since Assurant is countrywide, you can utilize many out of state facilities.

There are exclusions to the policy including pre-existing conditions, self-inflicted injuries, dental and vision expenses, mental illness. A complete list of exclusions can be found in the brochure.

Certainly, we realize that if you need coverage on your child (without insuring an adult), the Assurant short-term plan is not the ideal policy. However, it will provide a temporary solution and most importantly, provide much-needed major medical benefits in the event of a hospital claim. And, as previously mentioned, even office visit and RX coverage is provided once the deductible has been met.

Another low cost option (actually, lower cost than Assurant) is Celtic Insurance Company, based in Chicago. They offer many deductible options ($500 to $5,000) and when you view your quotes, please take note of Celtic’s rates. Unfortunately, within the next 30 days, they will not be offering their short-term plans here in Ohio, so it may be too late to use them as an option.

If  a child (or adult) has existing health problems that would typically cause an application for coverage to be denied, then perhaps the “Open Enrollment” program may be the solution. There is both a federal and non-federal program and child rates are not terribly high. Details on the program can be found here.

Please feel free to call (888) 513 6446) or contact us (contact form at top of page) if you would like to review your options. You can also view rates right now by clicking on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page. For “children only” policies, the Assurant short-term policy will be the only plan that is shown.

You can also review a brochure below:

Assurant Short Term Health Insurance

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Buy Ohio Catastrophic Health Insurance Or Ohio Comprehensive Health Insurance?

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

What type of Ohio health insurance should you buy? Catastrophic or comprehensive coverage?  Catastrophic plans will cost substantially less, but will not have non-preventive office visit or prescription benefits. Comprehensive plans will be expensive but feature low copays on office visits and prescriptions.

So…What’s the answer? I guess, based on my 30 years of experience in the business and ownership of the top Ohio health insurance website, you would expect an easy explanation. Well…it’s not so simple. To accurately answer that question, we have to somehow accurately predict your medical history for the next decade.

Perhaps comparing specific rates and coverage would help. So we’ll create a hypothetical family to use in our calculations. Both husband and wife are 40 years old and they have two children (ages 10 and 12). There are no pre-existing conditions and they live in the Columbus area.  Typically, they use their preventive benefits, but rarely have more than a few other types of office visits.

True Ohio catastrophic coverage (United Healthcare’s Saver 80 Plan) costs only $194 per month ($5,000 deductible) or $232 ($2,500 deductible). Although office visits and prescriptions are not covered, preventive benefits are provided at 100% coverage. If insuring major claims is your priority, this policy is ideal.

Comprehensive coverage in Ohio costs between $450 and $525 per month (United Healthcare Copay Select, Medical Mutual SuperMed One Elite, and Anthem Premier plans with $2,500 deductible). Most non-preventive office visits and prescriptions are covered with a copay and preventive benefits are treated similar to the catastrophic plans.

So…with savings of $2,500 to $4,000 per family, is it best to just purchase catastrophic coverage? Of course…there is no “right” answer to that question. It’s impossible to accurately predict medical expenses in advance. And a major illness with ongoing non-generic prescriptions could eat away at the savings very quickly.

Each individual and family is different and that’s why we take the time to review your specific details and make recommendations based on what’s best for you. Please feel free to call us anytime at (888) 513 6446 or contact us by clicking on the “Contact Us” tab at the top of the page.

Buy Ohio catastrophic health Insurance or Ohio comprehensive health insurance?  View personal and family quotes from the top companies.

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You Just Lost Your Ohio Group Health Insurance At Work. Now What?

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

You just lost your group health insurance at work. Now what? Well…Don’t panic because help is on the way. There are many Ohio individual health insurance options to consider, and most of these plans offer office visit, prescription and preventive benefits. If you recently lost health insurance benefits in Ohio, individual and family policies are very affordable in most areas of the state.

Ohioquotes.com is located here in Ohio so we completely understand the situation you are facing. We have designed this website to specifically help persons that may be losing coverage or have just lost coverage. Most of the plans can be paid month-to-month so your immediate out-of-pocket expenses are reduced.

Most likely, your group health care benefits were very rich in benefits, with low deductibles on hospital visits and low copays on covered office visits and prescriptions. Also, any emergency room visit probably featured low copay. Although you can duplicate your benefits with an individual policy, the cost would be very high with most carriers. For that reason, other alternatives should be considered.

If you’re concerned with only securing coverage for a few months (perhaps six months or less), a “temporary” (short-term) policy might be a wise choice. Although this type of plan places a deductible on the vast majority of benefits, premiums are extremely low and policies are often approved within 24 hours. Many persons that have lost group benefits will select this type of coverage until they have a clearer picture of how long they will be without health insurance.

However, you may not be able to renew a temporary plan if you develop a serious medical condition such as cancer, diabetes or heart disease. Also, pre-existing conditions are not covered which should be strongly considered when selecting the type of coverage you apply for. We’re always happy to discuss the advantages and disadvantages of plans like this.

Ohio Major medical policies for individuals and families that have lost their group health care benefits through their employer are also an option to consider. Costs for major medical coverage have remained low and plans can be paid on a monthly as-needed basis. Large expenses such as hospital and emergency-room charges are one of the benefits of this type of policy. And although most office visits and prescriptions are not covered, catastrophic plans are often used to bridge the gap between one group plan and another.

Low-deductible medical plans that feature low copays are the most expensive type of coverage. And while they closely resemble company group plans, they may not be the most appropriate choice, considering the premium and the length of time the policy is kept.

We realize that many Ohioans are losing their group health insurance at work. We’re here to help. Please call us any time at (888) 513 6446. And of course, you can view rates by clicking on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of this page.

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What About Ohio After Federal Judge Declares National Health Care Law Unconstitutional

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

The national health care law, that affects all Ohio citizens, (Obamacare) is unconstitutional, according to a ruling this week by Federal District Court Judge Roger Vinson in Florida. So far, four federal judges have ruled on the constitutionality of forcing citizens to purchase health insurance. Two have upheld the law and two have ruled against it.

Here in Ohio, individual and family health insurance coverage remains unaffected (for now). The recent required preventive benefits mandate will remain in place along with a few other changes that had been made, such as the elimination of lifetime maximum limits. Ohio health insurance rates continue to be a “good buy” compared to almost every other state. Of course, if the bill is allowed to pass, most experts agree that rates will increase (perhaps substantially) in 2014.

My Opinion

Based on my 30 years in the health care business, I expect (and any others agree), that we’ll see a Supreme Court decision in 2012 to determine the fate of the bill. The majority of Americans are not particularly happy with the bill and I have a feeling the court will rule 5-4 in favor of the repeal.

What bothers many Ohioans are the “backroom deals” that were used to sway votes in Congress along with the fact that most members of Congress never bothered to read the bill. Also, shortly after the bill was passed it became very obvious that Ohio individuals and families would NOT be able to keep their present health care coverage exactly as it was. This, despite President Obama’s guarantee, that policyholders would be able to maintain their existing coverage.

A Better Health Care Reform Idea

While some type of reform of the current system is needed, we don’t want Ohio health insurance rates to surge. Perhaps a better idea last year would have been the increased utilization of Health Savings Accounts, added financial incentives to those that pay for their own coverage and increased funding for the high risk pools for those with major health issues. Oh…and reading the legislation you’re voting on always helps!

You can keep up to date on Ohio health insurance reform information by clicking here. And of course, to view, compare or apply for quality health care at the lowest available rates, please click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page. You can also call us at (888) 513 6446 any time.

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