The Obama administration said Sunday that consumers could begin "window shopping" for health insurance plans on HealthCare.gov, even before the open enrollment period formally begins on Saturday, Nov. 15. You can now click a button and check out your options before enrollment officially begins.
The healthcare.gov site now offers Aetna and United Healthcare, two national insurers who shied away from Ohio last year. That means the competition has picked up.
“We’re really, really working to show our differentiation around the size of our network,” said Heather Thiltgen, vice president of sales and marketing at Ohio-based Medical Mutual. An emphasis on access to doctors and hospitals will be a key marketing point for insurers in the coming months.
This year, Ohio’s exchange has 14 insurance companies competing for individual enrollees, up from 11 last year. Each one is offering multiple plan options.
Another marketing point you’re likely to hear will be prices. A recent Kaiser Family Foundation analysis found that premiums for the lowest cost Bronze plan on the Ohio exchange will increase an average of about 7 percent from last year. But some silver plans may see a slight decrease in price. Log in to healthcare.gov to compare the plans and prices yourself.
