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Saturday, February 20, 2010

So How Much Does Health Insurance Really Cost? About $18,000 For A Cincinnati Family

CINCINNATI (TDB) -- It's even more expensive in Cleveland. With all the raging debate about health insurance and reform, The Daily Bellwether figured it was time to dig up some information about premium costs in Ohio. The data is about the individual market -- which includes the self-employed and those under 65 who don't have jobs -- as opposed to people who get health insurance from their employers. The rate sheet above is from Aetna Inc., for Cuyahoga County. A 45-year-old with a family would pay $1,698 per month for Aetna's standard plan -- or $20,376 per year. In Cincinnati and surrounding counties, the price for the same standard plan $1,486 per month -- or $17,832 per year. Other health insurers charge different rates for their standard policies. Humana is $1,345.92 per month ($16,151 per year) for a 45-year-old male with a 40-year-old female spouse and two children in Sidney, Ohio. Kaiser Permanente is at $17,874 in all regions of the state for family coverage when the male is age 45. The Ohio Department of Insurance has links available to individual market health insurance premiums from several carriers. In Ohio, median household income is about $48,000 per year. That makes it impossible for thousands of Ohioans to purchase health insurance if they don't get it through an employer. Poor people, of course, have options. They are eligible for Medicaid. Senior citizens are covered by Medicare. But the middle class -- those who work, or start businesses, and don't have coverage -- clearly are getting squeezed. Elected officials in both political parties at the state and national levels are eligible for health insurance coverage through their jobs. They can afford to dawdle.

5 comments:

  1. Keep digging and you will find that Hamilton Country receives more Medicaid money for Children than any other county in the State for medical services. Reason...We have no competition for Pediatric services. Children's Hospital puts their hands on their hips and says- SO HAND IT OVER. They do it to the managed care companies and anyone else trying to negotiate with them. But yet, CCHMC-is proud of the busy ER (what does that say about our parenting skills, ever been there with a child in an emergency service and see all the kids needing primary care services?) and all of their World Class services that you have to wait months for an appointment. Not so in Columbus or Cleveland- where their are other choices. And they just bought the Vernon Manor Hotel for Executive offices? PLEASE. This is one reason why healthcare cost in Hamilton County are soaring.

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  2. Thanks for post

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  3. good post the statistics you provided is really interesting really the cost of health insurance may be quite high if you dont select the best policy for your family.but generally people dont have time to dig it so seep your blog may help many in this.

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  4. cost of health is much higher then its insurance!

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