Simplify your search for Individual Health Insurance

Simplify your search for Individual Health Insurance

Choosing individual health insurance for you or your family is no easy task these days and no one I’ve met says they enjoyed it.  To find the best health insurance plan, you should know what to look for and how to find it.  Health insurance can be troublesome to compare and shop.  There are thousands of medical insurance companies clamoring for your business.  If you’re feeling lost or frustrated in the health insurance maze, then these points will hopefully help you find your way out.

Consider the Monthly Premiums

There are significant costs associated with any medical insurance plan.  There will always be a monthly premium, or cost.  Policyholders will pay this premium every month whether or not you use the insurance that month.  Make sure any quote you receive clearly states a monthly premium for the health insurance.  It is recommended to submit an application in order to get a solid offer of what your actual premium will be.  Every application is subject to medical underwriting and your premium will be based on the health information that was provided combined with age, gender, height and weight, etc.

The Costs when receiving Medical Treatment

There may be additional costs to you when you receive medical treatment.  It could be a fixed amount per doctor visit or emergency room visit.  Or, you might be responsible for a percentage of the total costs for those visits.  The amount and type of costs will vary on the policy, your medical issue, as well as whether the service provider is in network or not.  Be sure your insurance quote lists these particulars.

Look at Deductible Costs

Many health insurance plans require you to pay a fixed amount before benefit payments will start. This fixed amount is called a deductible.  Plans with higher deductibles often have lower monthly premiums, and vice-versa. 

Out of Pocket Costs and Maximums

The health insurance plan might not cover your entire claim amount even after the deductible has been met.  You may be required to pay a percentage of the post-deductible expenses.  Typically this amount is 20% to 30%.  This percentage is referred to as your coinsurance.  Also determine what the annual out of pocket maximum would be for each plan.  These numbers can vary widely from carrier to carrier.

Shopping for health insurance can be confusing.  But, few things are as important, and you will save yourself a ton of money in the long run if you should ever suffer a medical emergency.  The best way to manage this job is to call an expert at Chaser Insurance Group to assist you in finding the best health insurance plan for your situation.

Anthem Ohio Individual Health Insurance Open Enrollment Reform… What does it all mean?

After speaking to a current group health insurance client of mine, I realized that although the current health insurance system is changing daily, there is still not a true understanding of how it effects each person individually.  Unfortunately as we see new legislation, the changes may not be apparent or even helpful in many situations. In Ohio with the recent effect of Ohio House Bill 1 we are seeing that rates are going down on the guaranteed issue plans provided through the open enrollment process, but not enough to make them affordable based on the benefit level the client can receive through virtually all other credible coverage options.  Although, if you have been declined coverage and have no other option for a traditional individual plan or employer sponsored plan, then these plans are your next best option.  Above is the link to the PDF that you can print out and get all of the facts or you you can review the basics below:

The Basics

Here are the basics of what the new reform package in Ohio House Bill 1 means to you:

Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield Update on New Ohio Open Enrollment Plans 

HIPAA-HIC Open Enrollment Plans are no longer available as of January 1, 2010

In the last quarter 2009, Ohio House Bill 1 caused several changes to health care offerings for Open Enrollment.  A summary of those changes is included in this article and updates on the Department of Insurance requirements and rules are reflected in this update.    Please be aware of the following changes:

Effective January 1, 2010, Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield no longer offers the HIPAA-HIC (basic and standard) Open Enrollment plans in Ohio.  The HIPAA CMM Basic and Standard options (now called CMM Basic and CMM Standard for Open Enrollment) continue to be available.  

• Current HIPAA HIC & CMM members who enrolled prior to 1/1/2010 will continue to have a 6/1 renewal date.  New members enrolling after 1/1/2010 will renew on their anniversary date.

There are two types of HIPAA Eligible applicants to the CMM Open Enrollment plans: Federally Eligible Individuals (FEI) and Non Federal Eligible (Non FEI). The definitions of FEI and Non FEI are included below:

1.       Federally Eligible Individuals - meets the federally eligible requirements

• Will continue to receive credit for prior coverage
• Will not have to wait 90 days
• Will not have a pre-existing condition waiting period imposed

2.       Non Federal Eligible Individuals - are individuals who do not qualify for group conversion or cannot qualify for our underwritten products (Formerly Public Open Enrollment enrollees). They will be able to enroll anytime during the year beginning January 1, 2010. Enrollment requirements include:

•  A 90 day waiting period between the application received date and the effective date
• Coverage will include a 12 month pre-existing condition waiting period
• A 270 day waiting period for the maternity benefit on the CMM Standard plan

How much Does it Cost?

Although every county is different here are the rates for the Cincinnati area as they currently stand:

Cincinnati Area Grouping:					Butler, Clermont, Hamilton, Warren Counties
HIPAA CMM					HIPAA CMM
Basic					Standard
$1,000					$750
Att Age	Male		Female			Male		Female
0	246.83		246.83			334.47		334.47
1	246.83		246.83			334.47		334.47
2	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
3	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
4	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
5	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
6	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
7	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
8	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
9	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
10	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
11	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
12	221.34		221.34			299.94		299.94
13	228.05		268.29			309.02		363.56
14	228.05		268.29			309.02		363.56
15	228.05		268.29			309.02		363.56
16	228.05		268.29			309.02		363.56
17	228.05		268.29			309.02		363.56
18	228.49		291.54			309.63		395.07
19	228.49		291.54			309.63		395.07
20	228.49		291.54			309.63		395.07
21	214.18		296.91			290.24		402.34
22	214.18		296.91			290.24		402.34
23	214.63		303.17			290.85		410.82
24	217.76		311.22			295.09		421.73
25	220.44		319.27			298.72		432.63
26	223.13		326.87			302.36		442.93
27	225.81		334.92			305.99		453.84
28	230.73		347.44			312.66		470.81
29	235.20		360.40			318.72		488.38
30	242.36		376.95			328.41		510.80
31	247.27		389.91			335.08		528.37
32	252.19		403.33			341.74		546.55
33	264.27		421.66			358.10		571.39
34	276.79		439.55			375.07		595.63
35	289.31		457.88			392.04		620.47
36	301.83		476.21			409.00		645.32
37	314.79		494.10			426.57		669.55
38	332.68		513.33			450.81		695.61
39	358.17		542.39			485.35		734.99
40	376.50		555.81			510.19		753.17
41	395.28		575.03			535.64		779.23
42	414.06		593.82			561.09		804.68
43	439.55		614.38			595.63		832.55
44	460.56		628.69			624.11		851.94
45	485.60		646.13			658.04		875.57
46	516.01		673.86			699.24		913.14
47	535.69		686.82			725.90		930.71
48	562.07		693.53			761.65		939.80
49	599.63		714.10			812.55		967.67
50	620.64		731.98			841.03		991.91
51	664.02		760.60			899.81		1,030.69
52	707.84		788.77			959.19		1,068.86
53	746.29		813.37			1,011.30		1,102.19
54	799.50		852.72			1,083.40		1,155.51
55	847.80		876.86			1,148.84		1,188.23
56	884.02		897.88			1,197.92		1,216.71
57	920.68		918.89			1,247.61		1,245.19
58	956.45		942.15			1,296.08		1,276.69
59	992.67		964.95			1,345.16		1,307.60
60	1,034.71		988.65			1,402.12		1,339.71
61	1,070.48		1,011.90			1,450.60		1,371.22
62	1,107.14		1,034.71			1,500.28		1,402.12
63	1,145.15		1,058.85			1,551.79		1,434.84
64	1,183.61		1,083.00			1,603.90		1,467.56
In Ohio: Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is the trade name of Community Insurance Company. Independent licensee of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. ® Anthem is a registered trademark. The Blue Cross and Blue Shield names and symbols are registered marks of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association.
The premium information provided in this tool is for illustrative purposes only. Actual premiums will be determined following completion and review of the application.