Maryland had about 347,100 uninsured people as of 2019, according to a report from the Kaiser Family Foundation (KFF). That represents nearly 6% of the state’s population. In 2021, KFF looked again at the number of people without health insurance in Maryland and found that around 147,200 of them would qualify for marketplace coverage.
Marketplace health insurance is regulated by the Affordable Care Act (ACA), which is the country’s current healthcare law. Under the ACA, marketplace plans have to cover pre-existing conditions as well as 10 essential health benefits.
These plans also have to include tax credits, aka premium subsidies, to people who qualify. Tax credits are available to people who earn between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level.
When KFF analyzed the uninsured data in 2021, they estimated that about 17% of people in Maryland without health insurance could get a bronze plan on the marketplace for free (meaning no premium).
Most people who buy marketplace coverage qualify for premium tax credits.
If you live in Maryland, your best bet for subsidized health insurance is to use the state’s health insurance exchange at MarylandHealthConnection.gov.
According to KFF, the average lowest priced premium in Maryland in each category for 2021 is $222 for bronze, $342 for silver and $327 for gold. These averages don’t include subsidies.
Using data from our own marketplace, we found that a 40-year-old living in Laurel, MD, and making $37,000 a year could find a bronze plan for just under $222 a month. This figure doesn’t include subsidies.
Of course, cost and coverage options vary based on where you live. In 2021, there are at least three insurers in Maryland offering marketplace coverage. Among them are UnitedHealthcare, Kaiser Permanente (not affiliated with the nonprofit) and CareFirst.
Sources
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Health Insurance Coverage of the Total Population”
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Marketplace Eligibility Among the Uninsured: Implications for a Broadened Enrollment Period and ACA Outreach” (January 27, 2021)
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Average Marketplace Premiums by Metal Tier, 2018-2021”
Kaiser Family Foundation, “Insurer Participation on the ACA Marketplaces, 2014-2021” (November 23, 2020)