Cinergy Health doesn”t seem to do as much advertising these days. No, they don’t pitch OxiClean or Mighty Putty, but Cinergy does heavily market their medical plans.

Are they worth it? In most cases…No! In fact, unless you thoroughly read the fine print of your policy, you may be in for a jolt!

Available Cinergy Plans

Two types of plans are available. “Cinergy Health Signature” is their discount health plan and “Cinergy Health Preferred” is their insurance plan. Both plans offer far less coverage than a conventional Ohio health insurance policy from a major insurer…such as Blue Cross, Aetna or UnitedHealthCare.

“Cinergy Health Signature” is NOT an health insurance policy. It may help you reduce some of your healthcare costs, but not necessarily a significant amount. Coverage benefits are very vague and the premium for a single person is almost $1000 per year. And, the plans are actually provided by Patriot Health Florida, who requires you to PAY FOR ALL HEALTHCARE SERVICES in advance. Later, you may receive a discount on some of those expenses.

“Cinergy Health Preferred 500” is considered an insurance plan, but coverages are limited and descriptions of these coverages are fairly vague on their website. For example, this plan only covers ONE emergency room visit per year. Only ONE preventative visit per year is allowed. Daily hospital confinement charges are also limited to $500 per day and 30 days per year.

The Cost

If you can qualify for an Ohio Health Insurance Plan from a major carrier, then don’t waste your time with this carrier. If you are uninsurable, then you may want to consider a plan…but read the policy in its entirety. Cinergy will only consider refund requests in writing and will not refund the application fee.

Affordable Ohio health insurance is available. To instantly view and compare high quality Ohio health plans, please click on the “Get Instant Quote” button at the top of the page. You can get comprehensive coverage without breaking the bank.

UPDATE April 2011- I don””t see as much advertising from Cinergy three years after I wrote the original article. Their “Limited Health Benefit” plan might be worth considering if you are uninsurable. But keep in mind that the plan is NOT a major medical insurance plan and is not to be used to replace a catastrophic policy.

Cinergy Ohio health insurance should not be used to replace major medical or catastrophic health insurance policies. View affordable alternative Ohio plans.

McCain means business!

If you”re like myself and my family, you probably pay for your own health insurance. And thus, you also pay at least a few hundred dollars in premiums each month. And if you”re self-employed, it”s an expense that you have seem rising almost every year.

Will John McCain help you? How about Barack Obama? What about Ross Perot? Oh, sorry. He”s not running this year.

If elected, Obama says he will make available a new national health plan to all Americans, including the self-employed and small businesses, to buy affordable health coverage that is similar to the plan available to members of Congress. The Obama plan will feature some of the following:

1. Guaranteed eligibility. No American will be turned away from any insurance plan because of illness or any pre-existing conditions.

2. Comprehensive benefits. The benefit package will be similar to that offered through Federal Employees Health Benefits Program (FEHBP), the plan members of Congress have. The plan will cover all essential medical services, including preventive, maternity and mental health care.

3. Affordable premiums, co-pays and deductibles.

4. Subsidies. Individuals and families who do not qualify for Medicaid or SCHIP but still need financial assistance will receive an income-related federal subsidy to buy into the new public plan or purchase a private health care plan.

5. Simplified paperwork and reduced health costs.

6. Easy enrollment. The new public plan will have simple enrollment and provide ready access to coverage.

However, John McCain says he would allow the nationwide sale of private health insurance without government oversight, similar to the bill that Rep. John Shadegg, an Arizona Republican, has introduced. While there have been Democratic cosponsors of that bill in the past, the fact that McCain is currently considering the proposal now probably means bipartisan action is unlikely for the foreseeable future. McCain”s vision also includes tax-credits for many people that buy their own health insurance. That”s one of the big features I like about his plan.
So what”s the best choice for consumers? Well…do we really want the government to become the nation”s largest health insurance company? This is what would occur under Obama”s plan. Increased competition is better for all of us, so I favor McCain”s ideas.

UPDATE: 1-19-11. Of course, we all know John McCain did not win the election and Obamacare was passed into law.