Buckeye Insurance

In no particular order…here are the major companies:

Anthem Blue Cross Very competitive rates, especially in Hamilton and surrounding counties. Wide range of plans including limited office visit and RX plans

TIME  Coverage is offered through Assurant. Many coverage options and diverse portfolio. Generally not competitive in most areas of the state. However, if there are major health problems, they can offer a limited-coverage policy.

Golden Rule part of UnitedHealthCare. Competitive rates in most of Ohio…especially Columbus and Dayton areas. Riders need to be added to bring policy coverages to the level of Anthem.

Celtic  smaller company with rates that are often significantly higher than other carriers. “Basic” policy and “HSA” policy are priced favorably in some areas.

Aetna  Five-year banded rates. Often very favorable rates to smokers, females and large families.

Medical Mutual  Solid company with good rates. Not a large product portfolio. Offers dental and vision riders.

Humana  Recently upgraded and revamped their product portfolio. Limited high deductible policies and HSAs seem to be their niche.

There are a few other companies not mentioned. For additional details, please feel free to email your request. For a quote, visit Ohioquotes.com.

For a ticket to a home Miami University hockey game…you’re out of luck. They are sold out. Good luck RedHawks.

Here in Ohio, Preferred Provider Organizations (PPOs) make up a large part of the individual health insurance marketplace. When you use these providers, most of your medical bills are covered. Generally, when you have a doctor’s appointment, you present your ID card and you do not have to fill out any  forms. Usually, you make a small copayment ($20-$40). Preventative care is usually covered and you choose a primary care doctor from a large network. You can still use a non-network doctor and receive some coverage.

Health Maintenance Organizations (HMOs) are prepaid health plans. You pay a monthly premium and are provided with comprehensive care for you and your family. However, your choices of doctors and hospitals is limited to those that have prior agreements with the HMO. In some cases, you have to wait longer for appointments than with a PPO. In many parts of Ohio individual HMOs are not offered. Or, the participating doctors are not local.

Fee-For-Service plans pay only  a portion of your doctor and hospital bills. A fixed amount of money each year (the deductible) is paid by you each year before the insurance benefits begin. After you have paid your deductible for the year, you share the bill with the insurance company. Generally, you are responsible for keeping track of your medical expenses. To receive payment for fee-for-service claims, you may be required to fill out forms and send them to the insurance company.

Welcome. The purpose of this blog is to keep you well informed and a step ahead regarding Ohio health insurance.

The four principal companies in Ohio are Anthem, UnitedHealthCare, Humana and Aetna. Each company’s policies are distinctly different and quite competitive in certain situations. Much of the content of my blogs will discuss what companies offer the best rates in what parts of Ohio. I’ll also examine different scenarios regarding family size, health and age.

Companies such as Assurant, Medical Mutual, Nationwide and Celtic will also be discussed, but not at great length.

I will also try to devote an extensive amount of time to Health Savings Accounts (HSAs). They’re not for everybody, but if you are healthy, and rarely go to the doctor, it is a concept you should be considering. I (our family) has one and it has worked out very well. 

Thanks for stopping by and feel free to visit Ohioquotes.com

Regards…