DOI PUSHES FLEXIBLE HEALTH PLANS

The Ohio Department of Insurance has proposed a plan to help small business employees obtain more affordable health benefits. Key components of the plan, designed to provide small employers greater flexibility with health insurance plans, were unveiled in companion bills introduced in the Ohio House and Senate.

Senate Bill 5 sponsored by Jay Hottinger (R-Newark) and House Bill 5 sponsored by Jim Raussen (R-Cincinnati) would provide small employers in Ohio the option to offer “Flexible Health Benefit Plans” to their employees that allow exclusions of certain state mandated benefits. The legislation also raises health maintenance corporation deductible limits to be consistent with federal laws, encouraging more HMOs to offer Health Savings Accounts to Ohioans.

The proposal also would:

–Create “Flexible Health Benefit Plans” for small business employers;
–Increase the availability of health savings accounts in Ohio by encouraging more HMO participation;
–Allow HSA products to be reinsured through a state operated reinsurance program;
–Require health-care providers to provide consumers advanced notice of health care services costs;
–Call for analysis of a high-risk pool to determine its viability as a health insurance option for uninsured Ohioans in poor health and for further analysis of how to increase participation in small employer purchasing alliances.