News
Some Ohio Health Insurance Options Restored
By: Susan Tebben
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Options are returning to the Ohio’s part of the federal healthcare exchange in an attempt to make up for insurers that withdrew coverage amid the national healthcare debate.
The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) announced Monday that five Ohio insurers would be “restored” to the Marketplace, which works through the Affordable Care Act, in 19 counties, including Hocking, Jackson, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry and Vinton counties.
“Knowing 20 counties might not have access to health insurance on the exchange in 2018, our team went to work with the companies to find a way through the challenge, and together we have identified a solution,” said ODI director Jillian Froment in a release from the department.
Buckeye Health Plan, CareSource, Medical Mutual of Ohio, Molina Health Care of Ohio and Paramount Health Care are “helping ensure coverage is available in these counties on the exchange in 2018,”according to the release.
“Our commitment to the Marketplace has been unchanged from the very beginning,” stated Pamela Morris, president and CEO of CareSource, in the announcement. “As a result of our 28-year history of serving uninsured populations, we see firsthand the value affordable health care coverage offers to families in Ohio.”
Other counties impacted by the announcement are Coshocton, Crawford, Guernsey, Hancock, Harrison, Holmes, Knox, Lawrence, Logan, Van Wert, Williams and Wyandot, according to the release.
CareSource will cover customers in Guernsey, Jackson, Lawrence, Morgan, Muskingum, Noble, Perry and Vinton counties. Medical Mutual of Ohio is coming to Hocking, Crawford, Knox and Hancock; Molina Health Care of Ohio will cover Coshocton, Hancock and Holmes; Buckeye Health Plan will come to Harrison, Logan and Van Wert; and Paramount will cover patients in Williams and Wyandot counties.
According to the department, about 11,000 Ohioans purchase coverage through the exchange in the counties.
The announcement comes after one of the nation’s biggest health insurers, Anthem Inc., decided in June to leave the Ohio’s public exchange.
For more information, the ODI has a health insurance toolkit available on their website.