Ohio Group Health Insurance Application
Get a Quote »Whether you manage a small or large number of employees, it can be a painstaking and time consuming process to obtain group health insurance quotes in Ohio. If you have a new business or are shopping for better rates on your existing plan, correctly filling out applications with several companies can be a tedious process for your employees. However, the approval of the universal application and adoption by key insurers has helped to streamline the process.
Universal Group Application
The good news is Ohio recently approved a universal application that allows employers to request quotes from three of the most prominent and competitive carriers at once. The universal application works with Aetna, Medical Mutual, and United Healthcare insurance companies.
The group size must between two and fifty employees. The only carrier not included at this time is Anthem Blue Cross Blue Shield. In most cases, the information provided on the applications can be used to obtain quotes from Anthem, but cannot be used for enrollment purposes.
The simplicity of this new application makes quoting small and medium sized business groups in Ohio much easier than before. Less paperwork is needed and should the employer choose one of the three aforementioned insurance companies, then enrollment paperwork for each employee is already in hand.
Underwriting and Enrollment in Ohio
From beginning to end, underwriting and enrolling a new small group or transferring an existing small group with any carrier can take a month or more depending on the number of employees electing coverage. Employers and their human resources staff should count on quite a bit of back and forth before everything is in place. Thus it is always a good idea to get the process started as soon as possible.
While no one person can be denied coverage, group health insurance providers can be meticulous in their approach. Oftentimes, they will have questions about individuals and their health conditions in order to understand any risks associated with the overall group. Once the underwriters are satisfied with the information given, a risk factor (or tier) will be assigned to the group. This is when your agent (presumably us) can be very valuable.
The Agent’s Role
We negotiate with each carrier in order to lower the group’s risk factor - and in many cases we are successful. Insurance providers are trying to win your business just like you are trying to win the business of your clientele. Negotiations are always part of this process. We have good relationships with all of the carriers mentioned above as well as some other niche players and we will work diligently to negotiate the best premiums for our clients.
Hyers and Associates, Inc. is an independent agency serving the entire state of Ohio and beyond. We work with Aetna, Anthem, Medical Mutual, United Healthcare and several other insurance providers and can provide a universal application to your employees for quoting and enrollment purposes. Should you have any questions about your health insurance and/or benefit options, please contact us today.
