Who writes and reviews this site
OhioMedicare.org is published by Benefits Life, a licensed insurance agency and Medicare third-party marketing organization based in Denver, Colorado. Pages are written and reviewed by the Benefits Life Editorial Team, whose members are licensed insurance agents. Each page says "Reviewed by Benefits Life Editorial Team" with the review date. The team members licensed in Ohio are listed on the About page with their National Producer Numbers, which you can check with the Ohio Department of Insurance's agent locator.
Official sources first
- Federal rules and data: CMS, Medicare.gov, Social Security, the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations (eCFR), plus CMS data files such as the plan Landscape files and monthly enrollment reports.
- Ohio law: the Ohio Revised Code and Ohio Administrative Code (codes.ohio.gov) and bills tracked on legislature.ohio.gov. We say clearly when something is a proposed bill and not law.
- Ohio agencies: the Ohio Department of Insurance (ODI) for Medigap and agent licensing, the Ohio Department of Medicaid (ODM) for Medicaid, MyCare Ohio and the Medicare Premium Assistance Programs, and the Ohio Department of Aging (ODA) for PASSPORT, PACE, area agencies on aging and the long-term care ombudsman.
- Ohio retirement systems: OPERS, STRS Ohio, SERS, OP&F and HPRS, from their own published guides and pages. We describe how their health care works with Medicare and link to their current amounts rather than repeating them.
- Research and context: KFF.
Every page lists its sources at the bottom. If we can't confirm something from an official source, we leave it out.
Numbers come from the data, not from memory
Dollar amounts (premiums, deductibles, limits) come from the figures CMS and the IRS publish each year, kept in one data file, so a change updates every page at once. When CMS hasn't published next year's amount yet, we give the current year's and say so. Plan, company and special needs plan counts for Ohio come straight from CMS files and name the file and month. See Ohio Medicare by the numbers.
What we don't do
- We don't rank, rate or recommend specific plans, and we don't show plans' premiums, cost sharing, star ratings or benefits.
- We don't name insurance companies in our guides. Company names appear only with CMS data and its citation, such as the companies whose plans end in 2027 on plans ending in 2027.
- We aren't connected with or endorsed by the U.S. government, the federal Medicare program, the State of Ohio or any Ohio agency or retirement system.
Review schedule and corrections
Each page shows the date the Editorial Team last reviewed it. We review pages:
- every fall, when CMS publishes the next year's amounts and plan data and Open Enrollment begins;
- in January, when new amounts take effect and Ohio agencies publish new Medicaid and Medicare Premium Assistance Program limits;
- whenever a federal rule, an Ohio law or rule, or a retirement system's health care policy changes, including when the Ohio General Assembly passes or ends a bill we've described.
If you find a mistake, write to us at the mailing address in the footer; we check the source, correct the page and update its reviewed date.
How the site is paid for
Benefits Life works with independent licensed insurance agents. When they enroll beneficiaries in plans, the agent and Benefits Life may be paid by the insurance company. That relationship is disclosed next to every agent listing and on the About page.
Sources
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Federal Register — Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- eCFR — 42 CFR Part 422, Subpart V (Medicare Advantage communication requirements)
- KFF — Medicare
- Ohio Laws — Ohio Revised Code and Ohio Administrative Code
- Ohio Department of Insurance
- Ohio Department of Medicaid
- Ohio Department of Aging
- Ohio Public Employees Retirement System
- State Teachers Retirement System of Ohio
- School Employees Retirement System of Ohio
- Ohio Police & Fire Pension Fund
- Ohio Highway Patrol Retirement System
- Ohio Department of Insurance — Agent and agency locator
Frequently asked questions
Who writes OhioMedicare.org?
The Benefits Life Editorial Team: licensed insurance agents at Benefits Life, the site's publisher. The team members licensed in Ohio are named, with their National Producer Numbers, on the About page, and you can check their licenses with the Ohio Department of Insurance.
How do you choose sources?
Official sources first: CMS and Medicare.gov for Medicare rules, Social Security for enrollment and premiums, the Federal Register and the Code of Federal Regulations for federal law, and the Ohio Revised Code, the Ohio Administrative Code, the Ohio Department of Insurance, the Ohio Department of Medicaid, the Ohio Department of Aging and the Ohio retirement systems for state rules. KFF is used for research and context.
Why don't you list plan premiums or star ratings?
Those details belong to each plan and change every year. The site explains how Medicare works and points you to the plans for your ZIP code, or to Medicare.gov and 1-800-MEDICARE for information on all of your options.
How do I report a mistake?
Write to Benefits Life at the mailing address in the footer. We check the source, correct the page and update its reviewed date.
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