Healthcare insurance deferment
This information was released by the Ohio Department of Insurance on March 20, 2020. This bulletin expires upon the expiration of the state of emergency ordered declared on March 9, 2020. For additional information or updates, please click here
Ohio’s Insurance Premium Deferment
The Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) has issued guidance on health insurance coverage as a result of COVID-19.
Insurers are required to provide insureds with the option to defer premium payments for up to 60 days from their due date, interest-free.
Insurers now also have to allow employers to continue coverage for employees who would otherwise be ineligible for insurance coverage as a result of a reduction in hours worked.
Additionally, insurers must allow employers to continue providing coverage to employees under group policies regardless of any “active at work” requirements in the insurance policy. Insurers are prohibited from increasing premiums based on a reduction of employees in enrollment due to COVID-19.
For health plans with at least one active employee enrolled, all former employees are eligible for continuation coverage under COBRA (applicable to employers with 20 or more employees) or for 12 months under the Ohio continuation rules for smaller employers (less than 20 employees). For employees that lose coverage, there will also be a special enrollment period and waiver of certain enrollment procedures when coverage is purchased on the federal exchange.