Ohio Health Insurance

According to the Center for Disease Control, between 2001 and 2003, an average of 11.7% of Ohio residents went uninsured for health insurance each year. For many of these people living in Ohio, low cost health insurance, health insurance for the self employed Ohio, or health insurance meeting their particular situation may have been difficult to find. There are resources for individual health insurance in Ohio; start the process for your free quote below.

Ohio Health Insurance Regulations

According to the Ohio health insurance laws, individuals covered under an employer’s health insurance cannot be denied or limited coverage under that policy. Individuals seeking individual Ohio medical insurance plans, however, can be denied and limited access based on health and other factors.

Ohio health insurance companies are required to have an open enrollment period during the year in which any individual is guaranteed the right to purchase health insurance regardless of health or other risk-factors. During this time Ohio health insurers must offer each individual either a basic or a standard plan, but there are limits to how many individuals can gain access to guaranteed issue policies.

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Pre-Existing Conditions

Insurance companies offering health insurance in Ohio can impose limitations on coverage through pre-existing condition policies as well as elimination riders. Any condition for which an individual received or should have received advice, treatment, or diagnosis in the six months prior to the beginning of coverage is considered a pre-existing condition.

Ohio health insurance companies can deny coverage for these conditions for up to the first 12 months of the policy. Elimination riders permanently exclude coverage for certain conditions or body parts. Continuous coverage under Ohio health insurance can be credited towards future pre-existing condition exclusion periods. HMOs and HICs are not allowed to have pre-existing exclusion periods for basic health care services.

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Pregnancy

Pregnancy can be considered a pre-existing condition and can exclude coverage for maternity. Guaranteed issue policies do not exclude coverage but other policies can exclude maternity coverage for the first 270 days of the policy even if the individual is not yet pregnant at the time of application. Newborns and adopted children are automatically covered under a parent’s health insurance policy for the first 31 days after birth or adoption assuming the parent’s health insurance policy covers dependents. Disabled children may be eligible to remain under a parent’s plan past the age at which most dependents are no longer covered.

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Insurance Policy Renewals

Each policyholder is guaranteed the right to renew existing Ohio individual health insurance policies provided they have not provided any false information and have paid all premiums on time. Ohio health insurance rates can vary for most plans based on health, age and other factors, but the guaranteed issue plan rates are regulated.

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Temporary Health Insurance

Temporary health insurance is also available through some Ohio health insurance companies to help cover periods of time between policies or plans. Some health insurance policies credit continuous coverage towards new pre-existing condition exclusion periods.

Alternative Ohio Health Insurance Options

For people who have not found low cost individual Ohio health insurance that meets their budgets or specific needs, there are some state programs that can help:

• Ohio Medicaid and Healthy Families are programs available to anyone, children, parents or individuals, who meets the eligibility requirements and qualifying criteria.
• Ohio’s Best Rx Program is designed to assist Ohio residents over age 60 who meet income requirements. This program assists in prescription drug coverage.
• Healthy Start is Ohio’s Children’s Health Insurance Program that is designed to provide health insurance coverage to children under 19 and some pregnant women whose families may not qualify for Medicaid and may not be able to afford Ohio medical insurance.

Ohio Department of Insurance

Ohio Department of Insurance:

The Ohio Department of Insurance
2100 Stella Court
Columbus, Ohio 43215-1067
(614) 644-2658
(614) 644-3743 (Fax)

Consumer Hotline: 1-800-686-1526
Fraud Hotline: 1-800-686-1527
OSHIIP Hotline: 1-800-686-1578

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For other Ohio Insurance Resources, See:

• Ohio Auto Insurance
• Ohio Home Insurance
• Ohio Health Insurance

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