Costs for health insurance in Cleveland are rising every year. In 2007 insurance costs rose 40%. And while premiums are rising, coverages are falling, with you as the insured paying ...

* Higher deductibles

* Higher co-payments for doctor visits

* Higher co-payments for prescription drugs

Is there any way to still find affordable health insurance in Cleveland?

Lower-Cost Employer Health Insurance

To save costs, many employers are looking to consumer-directed health care plans such as Health Savings Accounts and High-Deductible Health Plans. These plans offer insurance with low premiums and high deductibles coupled with tax-exempt health savings accounts.

Forty percent of Cleveland companies offer these plans, including large employers such as American Greetings.

State-Sponsored Options

For the unemployed or lower-income Cleveland residents, the state of Ohio offers several programs to help pay for insurance or medical care. These programs include:

* Healthy Start/SCHIP for children under age 19

* Healthy Families

* Ohio Senior Health Insurance Information Program

For more information about these programs visit the Ohio Department of Insurance website at: ohioinsurance.gov

Private Insurance

Private insurance is an option for Cleveland consumers, but it tends to be more expensive than employee or state-sponsored insurance. To help you save on private insurance, be sure to shop rates at an insurance comparison website. Insurance companies have different prices for similar insurance policies, and you can save hundreds of dollars a year on your health insurance by comparison shopping.

When you go to an insurance comparison website, you'll fill out a simple form with information about yourself and your health insurance needs. Soon after you submit your information you'll receive quotes from multiple A-rated insurance companies. You can look over the quotes and compare them for cost, benefits, and coverages, then choose the plan that fits your needs.

If you have any questions about your health insurance options, the best insurance comparison websites offer a chat feature. With this feature you can talk online with insurance professionals and get fast, accurate answers to your questions.