17 Dec ClearPath partner sees Ohio’s new reporting rule as an improvement

Ohio’s Department of Insurance has put a new plan in place to protect patients from surprise medical bills. The new rule takes effect in January and requires:

• Health insurance companies must update their directories of health-care providers at least every three months.
• Within 15 business days of a doctor or other health-care provider leaving the network, the insurance company must update its directory and notify consumers who have received health-care services from that provider in the previous year.
• Upon request, insurance carriers must give consumers nonbinding estimates of how much the consumer would pay for care from an out-of-network provider
• Carriers must note in their directories whether doctors and other providers are accepting new patients, plus the geographic loctions where a doctor or another provider’s care would be considered ‘in-network’

ClearPath partner William Shimp, CLU, sees the rule as an improvement for the consumer.

“This a great rule from the Ohio Department of Insurance which will make a significant improvement in the ability of Ohio’s health insurance consumers to maximize their benefits under their insurance policy,” Shimp said.

The rule does not apply to dental plans which is a change from the initial proposal.

To read more on the rule, click here.