Just what is taking so long. We have had this problem for a long time. Other states have made Ohio look like a Hillbilly state by addressing this problem years ago.
I have been treated for cancer this year and my current insurance expires as of December of 2008. At that time, if I live in the state of Ohio I have no availability for “somewhat reasonable” health insurance coverage. However, if I move to Indiana or Kentucky (both just 15 minutes from my current residence) I would be eligible for their state funded high risk health insurance program.
Is that what I have to do, leave my home state because the legislature is too busy trying to decide if being within 6 feet of a stripper is more important to the people of the state of Ohio than being able to afford decent health care in our later years – especially after heart attacks and cancer? You let me know!
I had melanoma in 2001…Stage 1..removed in office and no chemo or radiation and have been turned down. I guess is doesn’t pay to do preventive medicine either because they don’t look at any facts, you are just turned down.
Even though this story was a current event back in September of 2005, we are learning in 2016 that after 2017, the proposals at the federal level from a new incoming president include repeal of the Affordable Care Act and reverting to state run high risk pools.
What you read in this article was as far as the State of Ohio got in setting up its own high risk pool. The provisions for it were not encouraging as we can see as many people would still be left out.
Instead, Ohio opted to go with something called “Open-Enrollment” plans that had very short timetables for those facing being uninsured for enrollment (within 63 days of losing creditable coverage) to keep their pre-existing conditions covered under an “Open-Enrollment” plan. For older applicants, over age 50, the premiums were quite high – ranging from $1,000 to $2,100 per month; that’s right per month. If you enrolled after the 63 day window expired, the insurer instituted a waiting period before your pre-existing conditions were covered.
Insurers also could fill up and stop accepting new applicants any time in the year. It was a program with plans that were out of reach for almost everyone who had little to no income due to job loss.
This 2005 article is a must read for those who want to learn about the history of how our Ohio Dept. of Insurance looked at trying to set up its own high risk pool as other states did at the time.
I feel it is telling when I read:
“State Sen. Lynn Wachtmann the goal is not to deal with the “masses of uninsured.””
Our Ohio lawmakers were not interested in including all of those who truly needed health insurance but were unable to obtain it in the private market and did not qualify for Medicaid or had any other alternative choices.
Just what is taking so long. We have had this problem for a long time. Other states have made Ohio look like a Hillbilly state by addressing this problem years ago.
I have been treated for cancer this year and my current insurance expires as of December of 2008. At that time, if I live in the state of Ohio I have no availability for “somewhat reasonable” health insurance coverage. However, if I move to Indiana or Kentucky (both just 15 minutes from my current residence) I would be eligible for their state funded high risk health insurance program.
Is that what I have to do, leave my home state because the legislature is too busy trying to decide if being within 6 feet of a stripper is more important to the people of the state of Ohio than being able to afford decent health care in our later years – especially after heart attacks and cancer? You let me know!
I had melanoma in 2001…Stage 1..removed in office and no chemo or radiation and have been turned down. I guess is doesn’t pay to do preventive medicine either because they don’t look at any facts, you are just turned down.
Even though this story was a current event back in September of 2005, we are learning in 2016 that after 2017, the proposals at the federal level from a new incoming president include repeal of the Affordable Care Act and reverting to state run high risk pools.
What you read in this article was as far as the State of Ohio got in setting up its own high risk pool. The provisions for it were not encouraging as we can see as many people would still be left out.
Instead, Ohio opted to go with something called “Open-Enrollment” plans that had very short timetables for those facing being uninsured for enrollment (within 63 days of losing creditable coverage) to keep their pre-existing conditions covered under an “Open-Enrollment” plan. For older applicants, over age 50, the premiums were quite high – ranging from $1,000 to $2,100 per month; that’s right per month. If you enrolled after the 63 day window expired, the insurer instituted a waiting period before your pre-existing conditions were covered.
Insurers also could fill up and stop accepting new applicants any time in the year. It was a program with plans that were out of reach for almost everyone who had little to no income due to job loss.
This 2005 article is a must read for those who want to learn about the history of how our Ohio Dept. of Insurance looked at trying to set up its own high risk pool as other states did at the time.
I feel it is telling when I read:
“State Sen. Lynn Wachtmann the goal is not to deal with the “masses of uninsured.””
Our Ohio lawmakers were not interested in including all of those who truly needed health insurance but were unable to obtain it in the private market and did not qualify for Medicaid or had any other alternative choices.