Ohioans face sharp premium hikes

If President Donald Trump makes good on his threat to cut health-insurance subsidies, Ohioans will see sharply limited options on the state’s Obamacare exchanges next year.

The Ohio Department of Insurance projects that:

■ The cost of individual plans would jump by an average of 34 percent if subsidies are cut. (Even if Trump approves the subsidies, the increase still would average 23 percent.)

■ Forty-two counties will have just one insurer, and 20 counties will have just two. As recently as 2016, each of Ohio’s 88 counties had at least four.

■ Only eight companies will sell health-insurance products on the exchange; that’s fewer than half the total of last year.

“There continues to be a significant amount of change on the federal exchange in terms of which insurers are selling policies,” the state insurance agency said.

“Health insurers continue to struggle with market changes and uncertainty, and as a result, consumers in many parts of Ohio will see a difference this fall as they shop for coverage. In addition, as consumers start using their plans in 2018, the policies may not cover certain providers and may not offer the same co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles as plans they have today.”

Residents of 20 Ohio counties were facing 2018 with not even one insurer offering coverage in the exchange, but the state reached an agreement this summer with five insurers to provide coverage. Attempts by Trump and Congress to revamp Obamacare have failed.

Ohioans who do not have health insurance through their employer, Medicare or Medicaid might be eligible to buy coverage through the exchange set up under the 2010 Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare. Open enrollment for the nation’s exchanges begins Nov. 1.

The Ohio department noted that in 2013, the weighted average premium for an individual market plan was $2,650. In 2018, it’s predicted to reach $5,799, an increase of 119 percent.

Trump has not said whether he will continue cost-sharing-reduction subsidies that health insurers say are vital to their operation.

drowland@dispatch.com

@darreldrowland

CREDIT: DARREL ROWLANDTHE COLUMBUS DISPATCH