If you're an Ohio business owner with employees, you know that health insurance is one of the most important benefits you can offer your workers. But how can you evaluate all of the different plans out there for Ohio medical coverage?

An insurance agent can present different Ohio health insurance plans to you for your consideration, but you can also make some comparisons on your own.

When evaluating Ohio healthcare insurance:

1. Consider what plans are available in your area. You'll want to look at Ohio medical insurance that has a wide variety of doctors and hospitals on the plan.
2. Count up your employees. Some Ohio medical insurance providers have a minimum number of employees who must be insured on the plan, while some may allow only two employees.
3. Decide whether you want to buy Ohio healthcare insurance in the form of a health maintenance organization (HMO) plan, a preferred provider organization plan (PPO) or a health savings account.
4. Determine how much your company will contribute toward the employee's monthly premium. Ohio insurance laws require that employers contribute toward their employee's health insurance premiums.
5. When evaluating companies, make sure that your own family's existing health problems will be covered by the Ohio health insurance provider you're looking at. Ask to see a schedule of benefits and exclusions for all the Ohio medical insurance providers that you're considering.

Action Steps
The best contacts and resources to help you get it done

Find health insurance in Ohio that is geared for small businesses

Medical Mutual, an Ohio healthcare insurance company, has a long history with the state. The company, which has offices around the state, offers several plans for companies with two or more employees.

I recommend: Medical Mutual's SuperMed Classic plan is basic hospitalization with 178 contracted hospitals around the state. Medical Mutual offers Ohio medical coverage with SuperMed Plus, a PPO with 6,400 physicians and 12,000 specialists statewide. SuperMed Choice Plans is a health reimbursement account for Ohio employers with 51 or more enrollees.

Get Ohio medical coverage from a company you know and trust

When looking at health insurance in Ohio, consider a giant in the field. Anthem Blue Cross and Blue Shield is well-known around the country and has contracts with doctors in every part of Ohio.

I recommend: Anthem offers several plans, including Blue Access, a PPO plan, allowing members to see network physicians or out-of-network physicians for an additional cost. Blue Preferred is the Ohio health insurance provider's HMO plan, giving employers the most cost savings. Blue Priority is a special savings plan available in Cincinnati and Dayton only.

Learn how to thrive with a company that makes an effort to help you stay healthy

Kaiser Permanente has a strong presence in the Cleveland area, as well as other areas in northeast Ohio. This Ohio medical insurance company emphasizes preventive care to improve employees' quality of life.

I recommend: Take a look at the overview of Kaiser's Ohio health insurance plans for small businesses (50 or fewer employees) or large businesses (51+ employees.) The Added Choice plan is flexible, allowing employees to choose between the HMO, PPO or out-of-network option.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Make sure that you don't let your current Ohio medical coverage run out while you're searching for Ohio healthcare coverage. If you do, you may find your pre-existing conditions won't be covered when you sign with a new insurer.