Health insurance enrollment lags in OH

The success of the Affordable Care Act depends on health insurance enrollment, but Ohio is among those states that have seen issues with signing residents up for insurance benefits.

According to Kaiser Health News, less than 10 percent of eligible Ohio residents have enrolled in health plans in the state through the federal insurance marketplace. Ohio is one of 10 states that Kaiser says are critical to the Obama administration reaching its enrollment goals. Kaiser reported many Ohio residents don't realize the ACA is still in effect due to confusion created by lawmakers in the state. Negative comments on the healthcare reform law have led to a less-than-positive atmosphere in Ohio regarding the law.

"That negative environment has taken a toll," Kathleen Gmeiner, project director for advocacy group Universal Health Care Action Network of Ohio, told Kaiser. "We run into people all the time who say, 'I thought the law had been repealed,' because all they hear is their congressman has voted for the 50th time to repeal the ACA."

According to an article on Cleveland.com, another barrier to signing up Ohio residents is a loophole in the ACA that does not allow families of same-sex couples to receive tax subsidies because Ohio does not recognize gay marriage.