In the state of Ohio, those residents with pre-existing conditions finally got some much needed relief today. The state’s new high risk insurance pool has now taken effect. More than one million people in the state currently have no health care insurance coverage. The program will help but additional measures need to be taken to help everyone who wants to become insured get insured.

President Barack Obama’s health care reform outlined that pre-existing medical conditions could no longer be just cause for insurance companies to deny people health care coverage. Until this takes effect, states have received funds to set up their own high risk insurance pools. The state so far has insured approximately three hundred and thirty people.

The program will be able to insure up to fifty five hundred people and has already gotten thousands of applications from those suffering from medical conditions. The insurance is much more affordable than trying to buy it on the open market. Some health insurance companies will cover higher risk people but charge them very high rates.

Medical Mutual of Ohio is the firm that will be handling most of the program responsibilities. They will be assessing the applications. People who apply must have been uninsured for six months and have records from their doctor indicating a pre-existing condition. Even those who meet the required criteria may not be accepted into the program because there are not enough slots for everyone.

People began applying for the program on August 1, 2010 so people need to act quickly if they want to be accepted. There are two medical plans that residents can choose from. They differ by deductibles, one is fifteen hundred dollars and the other is twenty five hundred dollars.

People who do not smoke cigarettes and are younger will pay between one hundred and six hundred dollars per month for coverage. This is a very fair premium rate for people with pre-existing conditions.

These conditions are much more expensive to treat and often require multiple doctor visits, medications, medical tests, and hospitalizations. The coverage is great for people because by law there are no lifetime caps on health benefits that people can receive. Now people that get this coverage will get preventative care screenings and adequate care to properly treat their medical conditions.

People who are accepted into the program and pay their premiums on time every month will be covered until 2014. Then, the federal health care reform bill measure will take effect. At that time, Ohio residents with pre-existing conditions can go into the open market and not be denied health care coverage.

This will certainly change the way that health care is handled in the United States. The states have five billion dollars for these high risk pools and need to use it wisely so that their residents get the best care. Hopefully in 2014, health insurance companies will not increase their premium rates too much. People need affordable health care regardless of their medical history or income level.

Source: Business Week