· July 27, 2012

Report: 2.7 million Ohioans with pre-existing conditions protected by ACA

A new report by FamiliesUSA looks at how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) will have a real impact on the lives of Ohioans. In particular, they looked at the law’s provision, set to take effect in 2014, prohibiting health insurance companies from denying coverage to people with serious health conditions. FamiliesUSA determined that 2.7 Ohioans – nearly one in four non-elderly adults – have health conditions that could have led to a denial of coverage before the ACA. Among the findings:

One in five Ohioans from 18 to 24 has a health condition that could have led to a denial of coverage before the ACA
More than half of Ohioans age 55 to 64 have pre-existing conditions and gain protection under the law
Belmont & Jefferson Counties have the highest percentage of residents with pre-existing conditions (31.6%)

The report also looks at the economic benefits of protecting those with pre-existing conditions. Among them are:

Uninsured patients pay nearly 2.5 times more for the same care as those with insurance companies negotiating on their behalf
In 2007, illness or medical bills was a factor in two-thirds of all personal bankruptcies
Fear of being denied coverage results in employees staying in dead-end jobs instead of pursuing new career opportunities

Read the full report here.