A new study says about 544 thousand Ohioans will be eligible for tax credits under the federal health care law if they purchase coverage through the new health insurance marketplaces.
The state-by-state analysis from the Kaiser Family Foundation found that only seven states have more residents eligible for tax credits than Ohio. Texas tops the list with 2 million. Nationally, an estimated 17 million people could get the credits.
To qualify, people must earn between 100 percent and 400 percent of the federal poverty level. That's between $23,550 and $94,200 annually for a family of four. They cannot be eligible for affordable coverage from an employer or from Medicaid or Medicare.
The report also estimates that Ohio has about 812,000 potential customers for the exchange, which is run by Washington.