How health insurance works in Ohio
Ohioans buying their own coverage have two markets: HealthCare.gov (healthcare.gov), where plans from Anthem, Medical Mutual of Ohio, CareSource, Oscar, and Ambetter are guaranteed-issue and priced on income, and the private shared-network market, where PPO plans on Cigna, Aetna and PHCS PPO are underwritten and priced on age and health.
Medicaid is expanded in Ohio. Ohio has no state individual mandate.
What it costs
Full-price marketplace plans for a 40-year-old in Columbus commonly run $550–$850 a month in 2026; with a subsidy, often under $300. Private PPOs for the same healthy person run roughly $320–$480. Ohio has a state income tax and many cities add their own, so the self-employed health premium deduction helps at the federal and local level.
The Ohio picture
Ohio's three big metros each have their own dominant health systems, so people who live in one city and work or travel in another often need a network that crosses them.