Health insurance is more affordable than ever. The Maryland Health Connection is the only place you can get financial help to lower the cost of coverage. In fact, 9 out of 10 Marylanders who signed up last year got it!
There are free or low-cost options
You can shop for a plan that meets your needs and budget.
- If you’re younger than 30, you can buy a catastrophic plan, which costs less and protects you from only very high medical costs.
- Or you may qualify for financial help like tax credits to lower your monthly insurance bills, and pay less out-of-pocket for costs like your copay and deductible.
- Or you may qualify for free coverage through Medicaid.
Protect your health and your wallet
Accidents happen! Coverage protects you from the unexpected, from minor illnesses to emergencies. And you can get preventive care, like wellness visits, for free.
Plans cover things like:
- Doctor visits
- Emergency care
- Prescriptions, including no-cost birth control
- Pregnancy care and childbirth
- Vaccinations
- Mental health care
- Substance use disorder treatment
It costs you not to have coverage
You could be stuck with huge medical bills if you have an unexpected illness or accident.
Help from mom and dad
The new federal health care reform law, known as the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (PPACA), requires health insurers to provide more benefits. Some of these benefits were already required to be offered in Maryland but some are new. Some apply to your current health insurance; others apply only if you buy new health insurance.
One of the most noteworthy changes is that for plan or policy years that begin on or after September, 23, 2010, a child may stay on the parents’ health insurance policy or HMO contract until age 26 even if the child is not financially dependent.
A child may stay on their parents’ plan regardless of whether they:
- are married;
- live with their parents;
- are in school; or
- are financially dependent on their parents.
This law applies to individual insurance policies, new employer plans, and existing employer plans. For group employer plans that existed before March 23, 2010, the law does not require the child to be eligible for coverage under the parent’s employer plan, if the child is eligible for coverage through another employer plan (for example, if the child is offered coverage through the child’s employer.)
If you would like to add your child on to your plan, check with your health insurer, HMO or employer benefits manager to see what steps you need to take.
Also, if your child is permanently and totally disabled and is incapable of self support due to mental or physical incapacity, your child may remain covered under a parent’s policy. For additional information about coverage options for a disabled child, please contact your insurer or employer.
Once your child is no longer eligible for coverage under a parent’s policy, the child does have other options. He or she may qualify for COBRA coverage. Not all group policies have COBRA provisions. Check with your insurer or employer to see if COBRA coverage is an option for your child. Be sure you understand the requirements for obtaining COBRA coverage, the cost and the covered benefits.
Your child may purchase coverage directly through an insurer in the non-group market. There are many insurers that offer coverage in the individual market and some have policies specifically designed to meet the needs of younger adults. In Maryland, these policies are subject to medical underwriting. When your child applies for individual coverage, he or she will be asked to fill out a health risk assessment form.
If an insurer refuses to issue a policy because your child has a particular health condition and your child is not eligible for COBRA coverage, your child may qualify for coverage through the Maryland Health Insurance Plan (MHIP). Contact MHIP at 888-4449016 to determine if this option is available.
The Maryland Insurance Administration has information available regarding health coverage that you might find helpful. The information includes a Consumer Guide for Health Insurance, as well as a list of all the carriers who sell individual health insurance or individual HMO coverage in Maryland, including contact information. The Maryland Insurance Administration's web site is www.insurance.maryland.gov. The telephone number is 1-800-492-6116.
Mark your calendar!
Open Enrollment begins Nov. 1. You can also enroll in Medicaid any time.
Some life changes may allow you to buy a plan at any time of year, like:
- Getting married or divorced
- Having or adopting a child
- Losing other health coverage
- Turning 26 and going off of your parent’s plan
- Moving to Maryland and certain moves within the state
