Ohio Health Insurance

Ohio Individual Health Insurance

You are a young, healthy adult living in Ohio. You may ask – why health insurance? The reason is that regardless of how physically fit you are, an unexpected illness or injury could put you in a lot of financial trouble. So even if you are young and in good shape, you need to think about finding affordable Ohio individual health insurance. Read on to know your options and for some tips to stay covered.

•    Coverage through your parent’s health plan: Health care reform allows young, unmarried dependents to stay on a parent’s health plan until age 26. This is convenient, but if you are planning to move to another state, your benefits might  be reduced. Also, this coverage is available only till you get employer-based coverage.

•    Coverage through an Ohio student health insurance plan: If you are just out of school and joining a college outside your state, you need to think about a getting an affordable student health insurance plan as your parent’s plan wouldn’t cover you. Remember that the plan that your college offers wouldn’t cover you if you are a part-time student or if you live off campus. Buying an Ohio individual health insurance policy on your own would cover you all year, even during your holidays. It will also ensure coverage for prescriptions.

•    Affordable individually-purchased health insurance: Affordable Ohio health individual insurance plans are available for healthy young adults. Health care reform has eliminated lifetime coverage limits and improved access to many preventive medical services. Contact an experienced, licensed Ohio health insurance agent to get free quotes, and expert advice to compare plans and choose the right one.

•    Coverage through a short-term plan:  If you are looking for a job, or have just found one and are waiting for job-based coverage to start, you could think about getting an Ohio short-term health insurance plan. Coverage is for one to eleven months. Preventive care, prescription drugs, or pre-existing medical conditions might  not be covered. This type of plan is very inexpensive, but it can protect you in case of unexpected accident or illness.

•    Employer-based coverage: Ohio health insurance through your employer is ideal because it comes with many benefits. Check out the HSAs and FSAs that your employer may offer as these are plans that allow you to save for health care on a tax-free basis. You can add on supplemental insurance for accident and/or critical illness insurance with a high deductible health insurance plan. Job-based coverage cannot be refused because of a pre-existing condition. You share the monthly premium with your employer. A  Kaiser Family Foundation survey reported that in 2011, the cost of single-person coverage under employer-sponsored health insurance was approximately $446 per month. Out of this, the employee’s share was only about $78.

Everyone is awaiting the Supreme Court ruling on the constitutionality of the health care reform law. Keep yourself informed about the changes that are taking place and how they could affect your Ohio individual health insurance options.

Affordable Ohio Health Insurance

You live in Ohio, have just graduated and are job hunting. Finding the right job with all the right benefits could take time. Besides getting employment to suit your qualifications, you need to ensure that your health risks are covered. Though the provisions of the 2010 Patient Protection and Affordable Care were aimed at helping young adults find affordable coverage, there is a lot of uncertainty. The law has come under scrutiny and no one is sure about its fate. But there this is no reason for you to wait – as a new college graduate it is in your best interests to find affordable health insurance in Ohio without delay. This article offers you guidance on how to purchase coverage.

Health Insurance in Ohio for Graduates – Choose the Right Option

As a recent graduate, there are three ways you could get coverage:

1) enroll in your new employer’s health plan
2) purchase an Ohio individual health insurance policy on your own, or
3) stay on your parents’ health insurance plan.

It’s important that you understand the coverage available under these options insure you to choose the right one.

-    Employer-based health insurance is safe as you cannot be turned down even if you have a pre-existing medical condition. Such coverage is also affordable since your employer pays a part of the monthly premium. It’s important to know how much of your wage will go towards paying your share of the premium.

-    If you are a healthy young grad, you can buy Ohio individual health insurance on your own. Ohio-based health insurance providers offer many types of affordable plans. Options have improved with health care reform eliminating lifetime limits on essential benefits such as hospital stays, and allowing free access to many preventive medical services. Remember: You could be denied coverage if you have a pre-existing condition.

-    The new law makes it possible for you to stay on your parents’ plan till you reach age 26, provided you are not enrolled in an employer-based plan. You get the maximum benefit if you live in Ohio.

Guidelines to Find Comprehensive Ohio Health Insurance Coverage

The golden rule is to get health insurance – no matter how young and healthy you are. Here are some things to look out for:

-    High deductible plan: A health insurance plan with a high deductible is affordable and can cover your out-of-pocket costs if you are faced with unexpected medical expenses. If you are relatively healthy, a high deductible plan with a low monthly premium could be right for you. Just ensure that you can afford to pay the high annual deductible.

-    Short-term health insurance: In many cases, employer-based coverage can take time to come into effect. Consider buying an Ohio short-term health insurance plan to cover you during the waiting period. You can get significant coverage for a sudden hospitalization, through preventive care, prescription drugs, or pre-existing medical conditions would not be included.

-    Supplemental health insurance: Your main health insurance policy may not cover everything. You can fill the gaps by purchasing supplemental health insurance for accident and/or critical illness insurance.

-    Health Savings Accounts (HSAs): Consider an HSA. If you are enrolled in a high deductible health insurance (HDHP), you can pair it with an HSA which allows you to save money for qualified health costs on a tax-free basis. If you are working, your employer can set up an FSA (Flexible Spending Account). Contributions to the FSA are made from your wages, are tax-free and can be used to pay for qualified medical expenses, including copayments, deductibles, and more.

Benefits of Professional Assistance

Professional guidance from an experienced, licensed insurance broker can go a long way in helping you find affordable individual health insurance in Ohio. Your agent can help you get free quotes, compare plans and apply for a policy. A knowledgeable broker can also help you understand the happenings on the health insurance scene and how they will affect you.

Ohio Student Health Insurance

The health insurance coverage that universities and colleges offer students may not be comprehensive and students could even end up paying more for limited benefits.  To bridge this gap, health insurance companies offer affordable Ohio individual health insurance for students. If you have just graduated from high school and are looking to join a university or college, your best option would be to discuss your Ohio health plan options with an informed insurance broker.

Health Insurance Options for Students

However healthy you are, going without insurance is unwise. So don’t lose time in checking out the options that are available to you and choosing the right one.

•    Stay on your parents’ plan: Federal healthcare reform allows children to remain on their parents’ insurance plan until age 26, regardless of whether they are in school or not. However, note that some HMOs and PPOs would not cover you if you are enrolled in an educational institution outside your state.

•    Enroll in your school’s plan: Most colleges and universities tie up with health insurance providers to offer student limited health plans. One important point to note about such plans is that they would cover you only as long as you are on the campus. For instance, if you are on holiday and meet with an accident, your school-sponsored plan probably will not offer coverage.

•    Purchase private individual health insurance: To overcome the issues you would face by staying on your parents’ or school’s health insurance plan, you could purchase an individual health plan from a leading health insurance company. A private health insurance broker can provide valuable advice on purchasing comprehensive and affordable coverage.

Purchasing Private Individual Health Insurance – Student Benefits

When you buy a private health insurance plan to cover your needs, you stand to gain in the following ways:

•    You are covered wherever you go. This overcomes the limited coverage issues posed by staying on your parents’ plan or enrolling in your school’s plan

•    You get round-the-year coverage, not just during the school year.

•    You get an affordable and all-inclusive plan. Your school health plan may be expensive and yet not cover many of the services you may need. Private health insurance companies such as Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield, Medical Mutual OF OHIO, United HealthONE or Humana offer individual health insurance plans for students that offer you comprehensive coverage, including prescriptions.

•    Regardless of whether you stay on the campus, go to school part-time or half way through the year, you would be covered in private health insurance plan bought in consultation with a professional agency.

•    Coverage starts immediately with a private Ohio student health insurance plan

Make the Right Decision

With all these options to choose from, you need to make the right decision. Contacting a reliable independent health insurance broker can help. You get professional assistance to check out, compare the various Ohio individual health insurance plans for students and purchase an affordable plan.