How To Find the Best Health Insurance in Maryland

You’ll want to shop around to find the ideal health insurance option in Maryland, comparing multiple insurance carriers to get the best rate for your needs. There’s no tax penalty if you go without health insurance in the Old Line State, but if you get unexpectedly sick or suffer a costly injury, having coverage can help protect you from severe medical debt.

Keep reading to learn more about Maryland health insurance, the most affordable plans, the health insurance cost in some of the state’s largest cities and what types of health care options are available.

On This Page

• 

  Is Health Insurance Required in Maryland?

• 

  Maryland Health Insurance Rankings

• 

  How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in Maryland?

• 

  What Is the Average Cost of Health Insurance in Maryland by City?

• 

  Which Health Insurance Companies Are the Most Affordable in Maryland?

• 

  When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance in Maryland?

• 

  What Types of Health Insurance Are Available in Maryland?

• 

  How To Get Health Insurance in Maryland?

• 

  FAQs

Is Health Insurance Required in Maryland?

Taxpayers in the U.S. are technically required to have health insurance but since 2018, there have been no federal tax penalties for not having insurance.^[1] While some states levy a state-level tax penalty if you do not have health insurance, this will not not apply in Maryland.^[2]

Keep in mind that while a lack of penalties makes health insurance essentially optional in the state, Maryland residents will likely be responsible for paying medical bills out of pocket without coverage. Before deciding on health coverage, you should consider the potential of medical debt and whether the risk is worth avoiding premiums.

Maryland Health Insurance Rankings

The Commonwealth Fund ranked Maryland 8 out of 51 in an analysis that took a holistic look at the health care systems in each U.S. state and Washington, D.C. Maryland notably ranked seventh in racial and ethnic health equity but 18th, the state’s lowest score, in avoidable hospital use and cost. When considering all metrics, the state ranked first among six Mid-Atlantic states, including New York, Pennsylvania, Delaware and New Jersey plus Washington, D.C.^[3]

Below is an overview of Maryland’s national rank in each of the dimensions analyzed by the Commonwealth Fund:^[3]

How Much Does Health Insurance Cost in Maryland?

Marketplace benchmark plans in Maryland cost $346 per month on average, much less expensive than the nationwide average of $477 per month. On average, Maryland residents pay a monthly premium of $256 for the lowest-cost bronze plan available in the state, $342 for the lowest-cost silver plan and $336 for the lowest-cost gold plan.^[4]

Cheapest Health Insurance Options in Maryland

Bronze-tier plans from Maryland’s state health care Marketplace, Maryland Health Connection, typically offer the cheapest rates, exchanging lower monthly premiums for higher deductibles, copays and coinsurance. However, depending on your healthcare needs, you may want to consider a higher-tiered plan. For example, if you have a chronic illness that requires regular doctor’s visits to monitor, like diabetes, or have been injured and will likely need months of treatment, you may want a gold plan that charges a higher premium but has lower out-of-pocket expenses.

Health maintenance organizations (HMO) and preferred provider organizations (PPO) are two common types of health insurance plans (although there are more). While HMOs are often less expensive than plans from PPOs, they typically require a referral from your primary care doctor to cover a specialist’s examination, usually have smaller networks and often have no coverage for out-of-network care.

What Is the Average Cost of Health Insurance in Maryland by City?

Below, we’ll review the median monthly rates across all metal tiers for individual health insurance plans for 30-year-olds making $40,000 per year in five major cities in Maryland before considering premium tax credits.^[5] Interestingly, the median price was the same across all five of the zip codes below.

Which Health Insurance Companies Are the Most Affordable in Maryland?

UnitedHealthcare offers the most affordable health insurance plans in Maryland in the silver and gold tiers. However, depending on your needs, other carriers may be preferable. For example, CareFirst, which provides Marketplace coverage for 60% of Maryland’s residents, is the only carrier that offers PPO plans on the state’s health insurance marketplace, Maryland Health Connection.^[6]

Below is an overview of Maryland health insurers with an average monthly premium below $500 for 40-year-olds buying silver plans.^[6]

When Is Open Enrollment for Health Insurance in Maryland?

You can apply for a Maryland health insurance plan through their state Marketplace website during the standard open enrollment period from November 1 to January 15.^[7] Plans must be selected by December 15 to receive coverage by January 1 of the following year, so ensure you don’t wait until the last minute to decide if you need coverage as soon as the year starts.^[8]

If you miss the window to enroll in coverage or find you’ve lost the coverage you had at some point outside of the open enrollment period, you may be eligible to enroll during a special enrollment period. Certain events, such as moving, getting married, becoming a parent or losing your health insurance through your job, trigger this period and can allow you to enroll in coverage. You’ll have 60 days before or after most qualifying events to decide on a new plan.^[9]

What Types of Health Insurance Are Available in Maryland?

Some of the major types of health insurance you can purchase in Maryland include the following:

• State marketplace health plans
• Short-term health plans
• Private coverage directly from a provider
• Employer-sponsored group health insurance
• Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act (COBRA) continuation coverage
• Medicare
• Medicaid programs
• Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP), known as Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHP) in the state
• Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) health benefits
• Student health plans

How To Get Health Insurance in Maryland?

You’ll want options to determine what plan works best for you, so try to get three to five different health insurance quotes to compare different policies. Gathering these quotes individually can become tedious, but you can speed up the process using an insurance marketplace like SmartFinacial.

After answering a brief questionnaire, we can connect you with one of our insurance agents who can help you find affordable health coverage that best suits your needs. Click here to get a free Maryland health insurance plan quote today!