Looking for the best individual health insurance options in Columbus to use with an ICHRA? You're in the right place - and there's good news! The individual coverage HRA (ICHRA for short) is taking off where you live, thanks to a vibrant local individual health insurance market. That means more ACA-compliant, high quality health insurance choices for employees.
| We've put together this guide to help employees orient themselves to the local individual health insurance market in Columbus to use with their Individual Coverage HRA. Health insurance can be confusing, and many employees offered an ICHRA will be buying their own health insurance for the first time. We've got you covered! |
Who this guide is for:
What this guides covers:
First things first. An Individual Coverage HRA (ICHRA, for short) is a fundamentally new model of benefits that allows employers to set aside tax-free dollars to reimburse employees for health plan premiums that individuals choose themselves. That means employees get to choose the best plan for their family, their unique health needs, and their budget.
Ohio’s strong and competitive individual health insurance market is directly correlated with its leadership with ICHRA. The success of this fundamentally new way of doing benefits is hinged on the quality of choices employees have for their coverage.
This builds on an ongoing trend, signaling the health and affordability of the individual health insurance market. More and more employers in Columbus are realizing their benefits dollars stretch further on the individual health insurance market instead of group plans, and this brings ample employee benefits too, like personalization and choice.
Disclaimer: These rates are estimates for Columbus in 2021 in the 43081 zip code. Your premiums may vary and we expect slight changes for 2022. See our window shopping tool to check for exact premium rates in your area.
Columbus' competitive individual health insurance market and innovative carrier lineup mean more choices for employees. The infographic below demonstrates the wide range of carriers, network types, and average lowest cost premiums by tier.
Pro-tip: To calculate costs for adding a spouse or family to a plan, use double the rate for married, or triple for families.
An innovative lineup of carrier choices means more choice and personalization for employees in Columbus.
Disclaimer: Plan information is based on 43081, the most populated zip code in Columbus. Rates will vary by zip code and county.
Remember, all of the plans listed here are ACA-compliant, meaning they cover pre-existing conditions and 10 essential benefits. These benefits include coverage with no annual cap for the following:
Have questions? Get in touch.Employees: If you are an employee looking to sign up for individual health insurance in Columbus to use with your ICHRA, our enrollment team is standing at the ready to help. You can set up a call with enrollment team here. Business owners: If you're a business owner and have questions about ICHRA, please schedule a time to chat with our HRA Design team to see if ICHRA is a good fit for you. Brokers: If you're a broker considering ICHRA as an option for a client, submit an HRA Design request to see if this is a good fit for your client. |
There are six carriers to choose from in Columbus, Ohio for individual health insurance coverage.
These include (in alphabetical order):
Here's a Columbus health insurance infographic for a quick visual.
| Ambetter | Anthem BlueCross BlueShield | CareSource | Medical Mutual | Molina | Oscar | |
| Recommended for ICHRA | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |||
| Easy Enroll options | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
| AutoPay eligible | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |
| Off-exchange options | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ |
*Autopay is a new feature on our platform that enables employers to take advantage of ICHRA and all its benefits without asking their employees to pay premiums out of pocket and wait for reimbursements.
One simple monthly payment that covers all of the reimbursements for insurance premiums (and medical expenses) for all employees. Our platform will manage the payments for employees' health benefits, reconciling their premiums and allowance with payroll. Learn more here.
*Easy Enroll is a plan feature that allows employees on the Take Command platform to enroll directly in the portal with no further steps needed. This is the simplest type of plan to choose.
*Off-exchange options are important for employees that choose a plan that costs more than their allowance, since they'll have to put in some of their own money to cover the difference. That difference can be tax-free when combined with a Section 125 payroll deduction but only for off-exchange plans (due to some ACA restrictions).
Here's another handy infographic that includes some of our favorite things about each individual health insurance carrier in Columbus.
The below rates are 2021 estimates based on Columbus zip code 43081 only.
What we love:
| Age | Bronze | Silver | Gold |
| 20 | $250 | $330 | n/a |
| 30 | $300 | $380 | n/a |
| 40 | $330 | $430 | n/a |
| 50 | $460 | $600 | n/a |
| 60 | $710 | $710 | n/a |
What we love:
What we don't love:
|
Age |
Bronze | Silver | Gold |
| 20 | $220 | $250 | $320 |
| 30 | $260 | $290 | $370 |
| 40 | $290 | $330 | $420 |
| 50 | $410 | $460 | $580 |
| 60 | $620 | $690 | $880 |
What we love:
What we don't love:
|
Age |
Bronze | Silver | Gold |
| 20 | $230 | $260 | $320 |
| 30 | $270 | $310 | $380 |
| 40 | $300 | $350 | $430 |
| 50 | $420 | $490 | $600 |
| 60 | $640 | $740 | $900 |
What we love:
|
Age |
Bronze | Silver | Gold |
| 20 | $280 | $320 | $490 |
| 30 | $330 | $380 | $570 |
| 40 | $370 | $430 | $640 |
| 50 | $520 | $600 | $897 |
| 60 | $790 | $910 | $1,360 |
What we love:
|
Age |
Bronze | Silver | Gold |
| 20 | n/a | $300 | $360 |
| 30 | n/a | $350 | $420 |
| 40 | n/a | $400 | $470 |
| 50 | n/a | $560 | $660 |
| 60 | n/a | $850 | $1,000 |
What we love:
|
Age |
Bronze | Silver | Gold |
| 20 | $230 | $260 | $350 |
| 30 | $270 | $303 | $410 |
| 40 | $310 | $340 | $460 |
| 50 | $430 | $480 | $650 |
| 60 | $660 | $730 | $980 |
For rates in your area based on your age, family size, and other variables, check out our window shopping tool!
| Ambetter | Anthem BCBS | CareSource | Medical Mutual | Molina | Oscar | |
| Nationwide Children's Hospital | ✔️ | ✔️ | ||||
| OhioHealth | ✔️ | |||||
| The Ohio State Wexner Medical | ✔️ | ✔️ | ✔️ | |||
| Licking Memorial | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
| Trinity Health | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Disclaimer: Networks and plans can change year over year. We keep this information as up to date as possible, but please check with your provider to make sure your insurance is accepted.
One of our favorite things about ICHRA is that it allows employees to choose the best plan for them, as opposed to a one size fits all group plan where they only have one or two options. At Take Command, we have tools to help employees sort through the options.
With an abundance of quality health insurance plans for employees to choose from throughout the state, Columbus employees are positioned for success in terms of satisfaction with their ICHRA.
To learn more about why Ohio ICHRAs are taking off, read our blog post on the subject.
Other questions? Email support@takecommandhealth.com or chat with us on the website. We'd be pleased to help!