Nearly $37M Recovered for Ohio Insurance Consumers in 2020 March 2, 2021
Nearly $37 million was saved or recovered for Ohio insurance consumers in 2020, the state insurance department announced.
Ohio Department of Insurance services staff resolved insurance coverage and claim disputes, outlined suitable insurance options, and identified financial assistance programs, according to Director Judith L. French.
The department’s Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program saved Ohioans on Medicare $30.4 million while engaging 462,000 people through counseling and events.
The Office of Consumer Affairs, which addresses non-Medicare issues, such as for automobile, homeowners, and health insurance, saved $6.2 million for consumers.
Staff handled 15,393 inquiries and 5,315 complaints.
The department addresses wide-ranging insurance topics, most recently involving COVID-19 and health insurance, mental health insurance and substance use disorder,
Twice in less than two months last year, Nancy Keator was surprised and angered by extra fees tacked onto her medical bills.
In November and again in December, the Westerville resident had to have X-rays (at different facilities), and each time, the bill contained a fee attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic: One for $25 for “extra supplies, material and clinical staff” and the other for $15 for additional cleaning.
Keator, 69, questioned the need for the charges (“Are you telling me you don’t normally clean between X-rays?” she asked), but what really got her was that neither facility told her about the fees ahead of time.
American Council of Life Insurers: Ohio Strengthens Protections for Annuity Consumers
Targeted News Service
Susan Neely and National Association of Insurance and Financial Advisors (NAIFA) Ohio President
Duane Borcherding made the following joint statement on a best interest annuity rule recently adopted by the
Ohio Department of Insurance: When retirement savers in
Ohio work with a financial professional, they should have confidence that person is acting in their best interest. This rule achieves this important goal by enhancing consumer protections while safeguarding access to information for lower- and middle-income savers. In 2019,
Congress recognized the significance of helping people create a personal pension using annuities by passing legislation making it easier to include them in workplace retirement plans. Access to information about annuities is vital for anyone looking for the peace of mind that comes from a retirement income they can t outlive.