Majority of Ohio uninsured eligible for Medicaid or subsidies, report finds

More than 565,000 Ohioans — 68 percent of the state's uninsured residents — are eligible to receive subsidized insurance or Medicaid coverage but have not signed up, according to a new study (Source: “Two thirds of uninsured Ohioans are eligible for Medicaid or subsidized coverage, study says,” Cleveland Plain Dealer, Oct. 14, 2015). 

The Kaiser Family Foundation data revealed that large numbers of eligible citizens are failing to obtain coverage because of a lack of awareness of financial assistance, concerns about affordability, or misperceptions about eligibility rules.

In 2016, uninsured citizens who can afford coverage will also face greater financial penalties for failing to sign up. Under the Affordable Care Act, the penalty will increase to $695 per person or 2.5 percent of household income, whichever is greater. Hardship exemptions are available for those who are out of work or struggling in other ways.