A $170 billion federal bailout is the only thing keeping insurance heavyweight AIG afloat. And many other companies are losing millions of dollars every quarter. Insurance companies invest heavily in the stock market and real-estate market…which have generated massive losses in the last 12 months.

But…don’t worry. Your policy is quite safe! The Ohio Life and Health Insurance Guaranty Association was created to protect policyholders, up to specific limits, against financial failure of an insurance company licensed to sell those types of policies in Ohio.

You can read more about this Association here.

A few additional points to consider:

·        Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) are not included

·        Policies sold by insurers not licensed to do business in Ohio are not included.

·        The Guarantee Association can provide this coverage because it collects money, through assessments from Ohio insurance companies.

·        The Ohio Department of Insurance regulates the Association.

When purchasing an Ohio health insurance policy, make certain the carrier is an “A” rated company and licensed to do business in Ohio. If you have any questions regarding Ohio health insurance quotes or any Ohio health company, please feel free to contact us at service@ohioquotes.com

United HealthCare of Ohio (UHC) offers more than 100 different health insurance policy variations. For a single person, monthly rates can range from $30 to $500 per month. It’s important to insure the items you are most likely to use. Of course, you don’t want to pay high premiums for coverages you didn’t use.

To help you decide which United HealthCare of Ohio policy is the best fit for you, always keep this UHC plan guide handy:

High Deductible Plans

It is your responsibility to pay for any routine health care expenses until your deductible is met. Once you meet your deductible, covered health care costs are paid by the policy. Generally, your deductible is higher than most other Ohio health insurance plans. But premiums on this type of United HealthCare of Ohio policy are usually fairly low.

Plans To Consider: “Saver 80” and “Plan 80”

Traditional Copay Plans

Copay plans offer similar features and benefits as traditional employer-sponsored plans. United HealthCare of Ohio offers many plans that feature a set fee for office visits and preventative visits. Normally, 100% of your exam and history costs are covered after the deductible. Drug prescription card benefits are often included. Lifetime maximum limits are $3 million with an option to increase to $5 million.

Plans To Consider: “Copay Select” and “Copay Saver”

Health Savings Accounts (HSAs)

United HealthCare of Ohio offers HSAs with many deductible and coverage options. HSAs combine a high-deductible, lower-cost health insurance plan with an optional tax-favored side account.

With an HSA, you may deposit money that you have saved on premiums into your tax-sheltered account. These savings can subsequently be used to pay your qualified health care expenses. You may also use your savings to pay for approved dental and vision expenses.

Plans To Consider: “HSA 100” and “HSA 70”

Short-Term Medical Plans

If your health insurance need is six months or less, than a United HealthCare of Ohio short-term policy might be appropriate. Periods of coverage range from one to six months and policies are usually approved within 48 hours. If you are unemployed or between jobs, this type of coverage is often your best option.

Plans To Consider: “Short Term Medical”

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

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.

Ohio Medical Discount Plans

The Good: They don’t cost much. The Bad: A lot of things. The Ugly: Even more things.  You may have seen these slogans on television or online:

“No deductibles or copays”

“Discounts up to 50%”

“All pre-existing conditions accepted”

Quite simply… An “Ohio Medical Discount Plan” is not insurance since the member is responsible for paying all medical bills. These plans simply offer lower prices on services that accept these discounts.

According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), some medical discount plans claim to offer huge discounts for a wide range of services, including hospital stays, doctors visits, prescription drugs and dental exams. And many of these plans gladly take consumer’s money without offering much in return.

Ohio medical discount plans are also spreading. Many companies from outside of Ohio are targeting residents. To lure customers, it’s quite common they’ll make unusual promises about savings and benefits. The salespersons marketing these plans often don’t need (or have) a license or healthcare background. Mysterious upfront “administration” charges and hidden expenses also tend to show up with these types of plans.

But help is on the way. In 2007, Ohio law placed new requirements on discount medical plans in an effort to provide greater consumer protection. This law requires medical discount plans to have written agreements with network hospitals and doctors to help insure consumers received promised discounts. In fact, the Ohio Department of Insurance can investigate and take action against medical discount plans that violate the law.

In rare instances, where members are uninsurable, and the Ohio Open Enrollment plan is too expensive, an Ohio medical discount plan may be the only option. But if you are forced to consider this type of coverage, please follow these suggestions:

*Call your local Better Business Bureau to find about complaints against the company.

*Make sure that any type of “up-front fee” is completely refundable.

* If your personal medical and dental providers don’t participate in the plan, go elsewhere.

*Instead of purchasing this type of plan, you may be able to negotiate a similar discount directly with your personal providers.

Ohio medical discount plans are not the same as Ohio health insurance plans. Please…be careful!

Deductibles. Copays. Co-Insurance. Maximums.  And that’s just the tip of the insurance iceberg! If you’re not confused by all of these terms, then you’re one of the lucky ones. Ohio Health Insurance basics can be learned.

It is important to understand, that a slight difference of the “co-insurance” in your policy, could save you thousands of dollars. Or…cost you thousands of dollars! Different deductibles can also have a tremendous impact on the rates.

This video, provided courtesy of Humama Insurance Company, will help you better understand some of the provisions of your Ohio health insurance policy.