AKRON, Ohio — Whether through employer-sponsored plans, the Affordable Care Act marketplace, Medicare or Medicaid, consumers can expect to pay more for health insurance in 2025. An aging population and high inflation are contributing to rising healthcare costs nationwide.
Good Morning Cleveland anchor Mike Brookbank spoke with a local health insurance consultant about how to find the best healthcare plan within your budget.
"We help find the right plan for the person instead of finding the right person for a plan," said Charles Boone, owner of Ohio Health Insurance Consultants.
Boone specializes in helping people navigate Medicare options. He emphasizes finding coverage that fits individual needs rather than forcing people into predetermined plans.
For seniors like 73-year-old Joyce Rodgers, rising healthcare costs present difficult choices between essential needs.
"I do have a concern about it going up and I think it probably will because everything else is rising," said Joyce Rodgers. "We are low income and we can't afford all of that, you know. So when you paying your rent, when you paying out of pocket for different medications and then you got to eat too and everything is going up, what do you do?"
Boone noted that some Medicare Advantage plans will be discontinued in 2026, while new options will become available. Other changes include increased prescription drug costs and more frequent prior authorization requirements.
"A small uptick in the cost for prescription drugs from the reviews that we've seen so far. In addition to that prior authorization has been a common thing that we've seen again and again when reviewing plans," Boone said.
Medicaid recipients could face additional challenges, including more frequent eligibility reviews, new work requirements and higher premiums due to funding cuts to the program.
For consumers trying to maximize their healthcare dollars, Boone recommends working with an insurance broker who can evaluate all available options in their county.
"We're going to look at everything available in your county and we're going to take not only note of what you qualify for financially, what you qualify for health wise," Boone said.
The Medicare enrollment period ends Dec. 7.
