Ohio Health Insurance (OH)

Nowadays, nearly everyone knows someone who either has no health insurance coverage, has lost their insurance coverage, or they themselves are living with these exact same circumstances. Ohio health insurance can no longer be thought of as a luxury- it is an essential! As the costs of medical procedures, treatments, and prescriptions continue to increase at astounding rates, people need a reliable source from which they can receive straight-forward, affordable Ohio health insurance quotes. Thousands of people rely on insuranceUSA.com for just this reason. Health insurance is simply a written insurance policy which covers medical expenses, whether routine or emergency. Many states offer additional insurance coverage benefits, including long-term care and disability.
In this article, you will find all the information needed regarding the regulations of Ohio health insurance, both for individual policy holders or those desiring a family or small group plan. You will also find fundamental facts concerning COBRA, which is an acronym for the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1986. This plan generally provides workers and their families who have lost their insurance coverage (due to an event such as job loss, reduction of work hours, etc.) the right to continue their group health insurance benefits, although normally for a limited amount of time and frequently at the person's own expense.

You will also find useful statistical information which can assist you in comparing the health of fellow Ohions with the health of people living in various other states.

This article will give you all the information you need about Ohio health insurance to make an informed and intelligent decision when choosing the plan which is most suited to your needs and circumstances. When you have finalized your plan, we at insuranceUSA.com will be ready to provide you with the health insurance quotes needed to make your personal choice.
Ohio Individual and Family Health Insurance
Your eligibility to purchase individual or family health insurance in Ohio is greatly influenced by your current and past health status and history. Ohio health insurance companies may deny coverage to an applicant if they feel that the cost of insuring the individual will pose a risk to the company's claims ratio- that is, they will be paying an exorbitant dollar amount in claims. Many times this is based on whether a person applying for health insurance has a pre-existing condition. Ohio health insurance companies are permitted to look back 5 years to determine whether a person has a pre-existing condition. They may agree to offer you coverage, but may attach a rider to your policy which, in effect, exempts the company from having to pay any medical expense related to the pre-existing condition. Ohio health insurance companies are also allowed to exclude a pre-existing medical condition for 2 years, regardless of whether the insured member had prior health insurance or not.

Ohio Group Health Insurance
For Ohio health insurance for a group or company, the state of Ohio requires that a company have between 2 and 50 employees. Employers, however, are not required to provide Ohio health insurance to all employees. For instance, part-time employees many not qualify for coverage, or those who live outside of the area covered by the insurance. Eligible employees, regardless of their current state of health, are guaranteed medical benefits under the group insurance plan. Some Ohio health insurance plans may exclude coverage for pre-existing conditions. These are usually conditions that have been treated within the previous six months. If an employee is not eligible for coverage for a pre-existing condition, there are different types of insurance that can provide benefits to cover conditions that are excluded from the group policy. Under Ohio health insurance regulations, insurance companies may not impose waiting periods before coverage begins. However, employers can decide on waiting periods, if any, before the group insurance plan goes into effect for employees.

Ohio COBRA Insurance
When a person is between jobs, Ohio health insurance options follow the federal COBRA guidelines. COBRA applies to companies with at least 20 employees on staff. An eligible employee may decide to continue their Ohio health insurance coverage through the COBRA plan for a maximum of 18 months. Extended periods of coverage are available for eligible dependents for 36 months, and disable persons for 29 months. COBRA is an extension of your previous Ohio health insurance through your employer, and if your employer discontinues the group plan, then your COBRA benefits will also end. However, if this happens, additional Ohio health insurance is available through the Ohio Comprehensive Health Insurance Association (ACHIA).

Ohio Health Information and Statistics
If you are in the market for quality Ohio health insurance, the following facts may be of interest to you. You will find helpful statistical information outlining how Ohio ranks in many categories related to overall health, both medical and lifestyle, plus other pertinent material.

Some of the positives of residing in Ohio are a high rate of high school graduation, a low geographic disparity within the state, and a low rate of uninsured population. Ohio also faces many challenges, such as a high prevalence of smoking, low per capita public health funding, and high levels of air pollution.

According to a 2008 study, Ohio had some significant changes over the past year, including an increase in the prevalence of smoking of 3%. Over the past five years, the percentage of children in poverty increased by 18%. Since 1990, the rate of deaths from cardiovascular disease declined by 27% but the prevalence of obesity increased by 149%.

Following is a variety of statistical data related to living in Ohio, as compared with the rest of the country. These state rankings may be helpful when you consider purchasing Ohio health insurance.

• Prevalence of Smoking-43th
• Prevalence of Obesity-34th
• Violent Crime-25th
• Children in Poverty-36th
• Air Pollution-49th
• Cancer Deaths-40th
• Lack of Health Insurance-11th
• Prevalence of Binge Drinking-35th
• Infant Mortality-41th
• Infectious Disease-19th
• Premature Death-32nd

Overall Rank: 32
Change: -3