Welcome

Welcome to Ohio Consumers for Health Coverage (OCHC)! OCHC is a new coalition committed to uniting Ohio health care consumers into one powerful voice in support of affordable, high quality health care for all.

Our member organizations represent literally hundreds of thousands of health care consumers throughout Ohio -- the healthy and the sick, the insured and the uninsured. The tie that binds us together is our agreement that the health care system is not working, and that change cannot come soon enough.

We believe that people ought to be able to go to a doctor when they need to. That people who are sick or out of work shouldn't risk losing their life savings because of one illness. That Ohioans should not have to think twice before switching jobs or starting a business for fear  they cannot get insurance.

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People from all over the United States gathered on June 25, 2009 in Washington D.C. to let Senators and Representatives know we need to fix health care NOW! To view a youtube video of part of the event click here.

Gerri Miller shared her story at the Statehouse about the high cost of premiums she pays for health coverage she purchased through Ohio's Open Enrollment Program. Cathy Levine, Col Owens and Ron Bridges also shared information on state budget proposals that would limit what insurers can charge Ohioans for pre-existing conditions and that would change unfair insurance rules so more Ohioans can get insurance coverage. To read the full article published in The Columbus Dispatch click here.

Renowned journalist TR Reid, who wrote the PBS documentary, “Sick Around the World,” addressed a crowd of 200 Saturday evening, June 20th at a UHCAN Ohio fundraiser. Speaking at the magnificent Trinity Episcopal Cathedral in Cleveland. Reid said “The design of a health care system is reflective of our moral values. No other country lets people go bankrupt for medical bills.” ...(click here for full story)

Family health care premiums rose an estimated 8.5 times faster than earnings for Ohio’s workers from 2000 to 2007, according to a report issued by the consumer health organization Families USA. Ohio had the second highest disparity between premiums and paychecks in the country. While skyrocketing health care costs threaten...

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Federal Stimulus Helps Pay for COBRA Health BENEFITS The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act ("the stimulus bill") helps laid off workers pay their Cobra health benefits. For more information, go to:

http://www.ohioinsurance.gov/documents/FederalStimulusGroupCoverageContinuationSubsidy.pdf