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.

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

http://www.ohioquotes.com

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Obama’s Ohio Health Care Myths

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

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.

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Is Universal Health Reform Good For Ohio?

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

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.

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National Health Care…Who’s Going To Pay For It?

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

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!

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Some Ohio Doctors Cost More Than Others

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

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.

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Hazardous Health Insurance Plans

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

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.

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Delphi, Retirees Reach Agreement On Health Care And Benefits

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Ohio white-collar retirees from  Delphi Corp. could be getting some help with their health care costs after a tentative agreement was reached between the bankrupt company and a committee representing those retirees. The settlement must be approved by Delphi’s creditors and the bankruptcy court.

The company will contribute $8.75 million into a separate fund that will be established to subsidize medical costs for salaried retirees.

The fund also covers the cost of creating a Voluntary Employees’ Benefit Association (VERA), a system that covers health care insurance costs with tax-free funds. A national health care program will be selected to manage the fund.

Delphi estimates that it will cost the typical retiree between $300 and $660 per month to maintain coverage, while family coverage could cost as much as $1,800 per month. Dental coverage would cost between $45 and $125 extra, depending on whether individual or family coverage is requested.

Earlier this year, a U.S. Bankruptcy judge allowed Delphi to abruptly terminate health care and life insurance benefits for its current and future salaried employees.

Affordable Ohio Health Insurance Plans offers professional local advice to Delphi employees. All major Ohio health insurance companies are researched to find high quality Ohio health care at the guaranteed lowest available cost.

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Ohio Health Care Doesn’t Need More Government Expansion

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

Expanding government health care programs must be stylish. Everybody is getting into the act. First Obama.  And now, Ohio Governor Ted Strickland wants to give health insurance to every child in Ohio. A nice gesture, but the method is quite cost-ineffective.

Marc Kilmer of “The Times-Gazette” in Hillsboro, says it best:

Much of the problem of uninsured children could be solved by simply getting those eligible signed up for coverage.

Instead, politicians like Governor Strickland want to expand coverage to those with higher incomes.

Children in families with higher incomes not only have a lower uninsured rate than children who are already eligible for the program, their parents are more likely to be able to afford private coverage.

 

The remainder of Marc’s article is found here.

 September 2009 Update: It appears that the “public option” is off the table. That’s good news for everyone.

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Ohio Consumer-Driven Health Care…It”s A Good Thing!

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

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.

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Ohio Health Insurance Plan Review

Original post from: Ohio Health Insurance Quotes

There are hundreds of Ohio health insurance plans. Coverages range from high-deductible catastrophic plans to comprehensive plans with small out-of-pocket expenses. Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) are also available and growing in popularity.

Ohioquotes.com, the premier website for Ohio health insurance plans, reviews popular Ohio policies each month. This month, all four reviewed plans are readily available, easily underwritten, and quite affordable.

Anthem Value Plan Two office visits per person (per year) are included, subject to a $30 copay. Brand-name formulary and and Generic non-formulary prescription are included. Like many Ohio health insurance plans, some preventative care and diagnostic services are included. And a generous $5 million lifetime limit is also built into the policy.

UnitedHealthCare Copay Saver Plan  One of many Ohio health insurance plans offered by UnitedHealthCare. A $35 copay applies to the two allowed office visits per person per year (including wellness). Generic prescriptions are subject to a $15 copay while non-generic prescriptions are not covered. The lifetime limit is $3 million and maternity coverage can be added as a rider.

Aetna Preventative And Hospital Care 3000  Perhaps Aetna’s most affordable Ohio health insurance plan, this policy is HSA compatible. The principal feature of the policy is the outstanding preventative care coverage. Annual routine GYN exams, routine physicals, and Paps/Mammograms are not subject to a deductible. A $1 million lifetime limit is included.

UnitedHealthCare Saver 80 Plan One of the least expensive Ohio health insurance plans, this plan is designed to cover catastrophic claims. Major medical and emergency room charges are covered, along with most routine hospital expenses. Office visits are not covered, although a drug prescription discount card in included. $3 million of lifetime limit coverage per person is included in each policy.

Affordable Ohio health insurance plans are available, and often can be approved in less than a week. The application process is simple and physicals are rarely required.

*****

UPDATE: August 2011. It’s hard to believe it’s been two years since I wrote this short post. Many plans have changed. The Anthem Value plan has been replaced by the “SmartSense” plan. You can easily view Anthem Ohio Rates on our website.

Also, The UnitedHealthCare Copay Saver plan is now referred to as the Copay Value plan. The rates are still very attractive.

Lifetime caps have also been eliminated on all plans.

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