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 weakened.

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.

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.

True Ohio health care reform centers on the four “pillars” of patients’ rights. Choice, competition, accountability and personal responsibility. A patient must have the right to choose their own doctor, and must protect a consumer’s right to choose the health insurance that best fits their needs and budget.

“Conservatives For Patients Rights” (CPR) recently reviewed 16 plans that have been discussed, written about or offered up as legislation. Which plans are too costly? Which plans promote competition within the healthcare industry?

You can read about and compare the different plans here.

A national health care system may allow individuals to avoid paying for their health insurance. But the cost of health care will not reduce. In fact, it may actually increase. I’m not a big advocate of government-sponsored health care. I believe a combination of increased utilization of Health Savings Accounts, mandated (required) health care for everyone, increased tax credits and mandatory preventative visits will solve our problems.

James F. Pontuso, Charles Patterson Professor of Government & Foreign Affairs at Hampden-Sydney College, offers some very astute views…

The reason health care costs have risen is not because of waste, neglect, incompetence, or greed, but rather because medical care has become so much better.

Proponents of national health care insist that there will be reductions in administrative health-care costs. It is true that there are savings because of economies of scale, but has anyone ever seen a big government program administered efficiently?  Big government programs are almost always more expensive than expected exactly because bigness breeds inefficiency. A national health-care system in the U.S. may create the largest bureaucracy in the history of the world.

We could also reduce health care by capping the compensation for doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals. But we have to wonder whether the nursing shortage in the U.S. would get worse if nurses’ pay were lowered. As for my cardiologist, she loves medicine and she might have pursued her career even if it took her longer to pay off her debts. I know she is talented enough to succeed in most any profession she entered. Like most people who are really good at what they do, she wants to be compensated for all her hard work, dedication, long hours, and expert skill - such, after all, is the American dream.

The cost of national health care will be high either because good health care is expensive or because inexpensive health care will not be good. This is the issue which we face.

The full article can be found here!

If you currently have an Ohio health insurance policy, then you probably pay a “copay” on your office visit coverage.  The “copay” is the dollar amount you must pay for your covered office visit. Normally, copays range from $15-$40.

If your doctor does not participate in your Ohio health insurance plan, your out-of-pocket expense will be higher.

The good folks at Humana have put together a video that provides a bit more insight to this topic. I promise…the video is quite informative and pleasantly brief.

Many consumers assume they have quality health care. But they don’t realize that their policy has substantial gaps in coverage, with limits and loopholes that were not adequately disclosed.

 Consumer Reports published their “Seven Signs A Health Plan Might Be Junk.” They recommend avoiding plans with these features:

·        Limited benefits

·        Low overall coverage limits

·        Bargain premiums

·        Little or no coverage for the important items

·        Ceilings on categories of care

·        Random “gotchas”

The entire article can be found here.

Here’s some good news: Ohioquotes.com NEVER uses any type of “discount” plan. As Ohio’s premier resource for Ohio health insurance plans, we are extremely particular when researching and recommending coverage. Only the highest quality policies are considered.

For an instant Ohio health insurance quote, please click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page.