Plan would give Ohio farmers health care coverage option

(The Center Square) – Ohio farmers forced to work a second job or go without health insurance could get another option.

Under proposed legislation in the Senate, the nearly 70,000 members of the Ohio Farm Bureau would get access to health coverage plans through the Farm Bureau Health Plan, a self-governing, member-funded plan exempt from regulations and Affordable Care Act guidelines.

It would have helped people like Matt Aultman, an Ohio Farm Bureau state board member who said he was forced into a second job for health coverage.

He said his family would have faced bankruptcy after their first child was born premature, spending weeks in the hospital and incurring bills of $10,000 a day.

"These are proud, hard-working folks we need in the workforce, but stress and endless hours between jobs create health problems that could be avoided by being able to work one job instead of two," Aultman said. "You can't go to school sporting events without seeing a donation jar to help a family who is struggling with medical bills, due to either not having insurance or being underinsured because that is all they can afford."

Sen. Susan Manchester, R-Waynesfield, said the plan is an option for Ohioans who are self-employed and don't qualify for Affordable Care Act subsidies.

"Agriculture is the backbone of our state's economy, and our farmers contribute a great deal to Ohio's success. We should be helping them succeed as well," Manchester said. "This legislation will create a free-market health care coverage plan for Farm Bureau members, giving them and their families another choice and access to care."

Rep. Bob Peterson, R-Sabina, introduced a companion bill in the House.

"Any farmer or small business owner knows that finding economical health insurance is one of their greatest challenges," Peterson said. "The inability to have reasonable health insurance can actually discourage individuals from starting a business or becoming a full-time farmer. This bill creates an affordable option for individuals to receive health insurance."

The bills are modeled after similar programs in Tennessee, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota and Texas.

Tennessee's program, which has been in place since 1993, serves more than 200,000 members, according to Manchester.