Best Ohio Health Insurance (2023 Plans)

Aultcare provides the best health insurance in the Buckeye State, earning a MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100. This company stands out with its PPO plans and low out-of-pocket costs. In comparison to other insurers, it also denies fewer claims.

We reviewed 100 Silver HMO plans and 22 Silver PPO plans to select the best overall insurance company.

Those who prefer low out-of-pocket costs should also consider Aultcare, a top-performing insurance provider in Ohio. The insurer received a MoneyGeek score of 78 out of 100 for its low out-of-pocket costs and excellent track record of approving claims.

For this category, we evaluated 42 Gold HMO plans, 15 Gold PPO plans and eight Platinum PPO plans.

SummaCare offers the cheapest health insurance in Ohio, garnering a MoneyGeek score of 71 out of 100 for its low average monthly premiums.

To choose the top-ranking company in this category, we weighted premium affordability more heavily in our overall score. If you don’t need frequent medical care, choosing a plan that has a lower monthly premium and higher out-of-pocket cost may be worth the trade-off.

Our rankings and recommendations were based on 22 Silver PPO plans and 100 Silver HMO plans in Ohio.

SummaCare offers the best health insurance for those with low incomes in Ohio. The insurer received a MoneyGeek score of 64 out of 100 for its cheap average monthly premiums.

For this category, we only included medical insurance providers with low-cost premiums and plans with cost-sharing reductions (CSRs). This amounted to 100 Silver HMO plans and 12 Silver PPO plans.

Lower premiums usually correlate with higher MOOP costs. However, CSRs are a type of discount that reduces out-of-pocket expenses, specifically for those whose income falls below 250% of the federal poverty level (FPL).

Approximately 70% of health care costs are covered with a standard Silver plan, while plans with CSRs tend to have higher cost-sharing. The guidelines in Ohio are:

• Annual income between $27,180 and $33,975 (201%–250% of the FPL) qualifies for a plan that pays about 73% of health costs
• Annual income between $20,385 and $27,180 (151%–200% of the FPL) qualifies for a plan that pays about 87% of health costs
• Annual income below $20,385 (up to 150% of the FPL) qualifies for a plan that pays about 94% of health costs

Note that these annual income brackets can shift based on the number of people in a household.

Aultcare offers the best health insurance in Ohio for young Adults. The insurer received a MoneyGeek score of 76 out of 100 for its low MOOP costs and high claims approval rate.

Bronze, Expanded Bronze and Catastrophic plans tend to have the cheapest premiums and highest out-of-pocket costs. This trade-off may be an ideal option for young adults who don’t need frequent medical care. Note that only individuals under the age of 30 can get a Catastrophic plan.

We evaluated the following number of plan types and tiers to find the best health insurance for young adults in Ohio:

• Bronze: 20 HMO plans and eight PPO plans
• Expanded Bronze: 68 HMO plans and 15 PPO plans
• Catastrophic: Seven HMO plans and four PPO plans

Medical insurance companies have different plan types. In the Buckeye State, the top companies for the two most common plan types are:

• HMO: Oscar (MoneyGeek score of 67 out of 100)
• PPO: Aultcare (MoneyGeek score of 100 out of 100)

Our recommendations only took into account Silver plans since these usually offer the best balance between premium and MOOP costs. There are 100 HMO Silver plans and 22 PPO Silver plans available in the state.

National General Accident & Health offers the best short-term health insurance in Ohio, receiving a MoneyGeek score of 95 out of 100. This insurer is our top choice due to its well-rounded scores for plan types, coverage limits and affordability. Because short-term health insurance plans don’t include key health benefits mandated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), they are not recommended as a substitute for health insurance. Rather, they should only be used to bridge temporary gaps in coverage.

The best private health insurance company in Ohio will vary between individuals based on their budget and specific medical needs. Consider how much care you need and how much you’re willing to pay for premiums each month before buying health insurance.

Those with a qualifying illness or disability or are older adults (aged 65 and older) can obtain Medicare, a government-backed program that subsidizes health care. Medicare is divided into three parts:

• Part A (Hospital Insurance): This pays for individuals that need inpatient hospital and home medical care. Certain nursing facilities and hospices are also covered.
• Part B (Medical Insurance): This covers doctor’s visits, preventive services and diagnostic exams.
• Part D (Prescription drug coverage): This includes coverage for vaccines and prescription drugs.

We also handpicked the top Medicare Advantage plans in Ohio and the best Medicare Supplement plans in Ohio.

Medicaid is another federal program that caters to individuals that fall within the state-specific income bracket. Ohio is a Medicaid expansion state, so households with incomes less than 138% of the FPL can qualify for free Medicaid.

While shopping for health insurance, you may have questions about cost and availability. MoneyGeek answered the commonly asked questions below to help make the process easier for you.