Tagged: Healthcare

State officials say scammers are trying to steal Ohioans' personal information by claiming to be representatives of the new online insurance marketplaces under the federal health care law.

Lt. Gov. Mary Taylor, who is also the state's insurance director, is issuing a consumer alert after reports of scammers offering to help navigate consumers through the so-called health insurance exchanges.

Taylor says the scammers are trying to capitalize on confusion around the federal Affordable Care Act.

The leader of the Ohio Senate says he could have chosen his words more carefully when arguing that the federal government has put the state in a difficult position as it decides whether to expand Medicaid.

Senate President Keith Faber said Monday it was "probably inartful" of him to liken the choice to the government loading a revolver, pointing it at states and saying "do this or else." 

Faber, a Celina Republican, had described Medicaid expansion as an ultimatum to the Lima News in an article posted online Saturday. 

A study by the nation's leading group of financial risk analysts says medical claims costs could jump an average 81 percent for individual policy holders in Ohio under President Barack Obama's health care overhaul.

The report released Tuesday by the Society of Actuaries said the increase will be in large part because sicker people will join the individual insurance pool. It does not project medical claim costs for employer plans, which cover most workers.

The cost of medical claims is the biggest driver of health insurance premiums.