Maryland Health Insurance Guide
Maryland Health Insurance Information, Health Organizations and Resources and access to online health insurance quotes
As a Maryland resident you can choose from health insurance plans provided to individuals and groups by private insurance carriers. Eligible individuals and families may also take advantage of low-cost and no-cost health insurance offered by Maryland State-funded programs, as well as government-sponsored programs such as Medicaid, COBRA and the Pre-Existing Conditions Insurance Plan (PCIP).
Maryland Guaranteed Issue PolicyMaryland is not a guaranteed issue state for individuals. That means private insurers are not required to sell health insurance to individuals who do not meet their underwriting criteria. You may be turned down, asked to pay a higher premium or offered limited coverage because of a pre-existing condition (see Maryland and the Affordable Care Act below for exceptions regarding pre-existing conditions). When you renew your individual policy, the insurer has the right to increase your premiums based on age and other factors. All small group policies are guarantee issue.
Maryland Guaranteed Renewal PolicyMaryland is a guaranteed renewal state. While your insurance company has the right to increase the premiums on your individual health care policy based on age and other factors, they cannot cancel your policy as long as you pay your premiums, do not defraud the insurers, and in the case of some managed health programs, do not move out of the coverage area. If your Maryland health insurance is provided through an employer’s group plan, your coverage cannot be canceled or subject to higher premiums because of your health.
Maryland and the Affordable Care Act of 2010The Affordable Care Act (ACA) has no direct impact on individual state mandates, however it may have significant impact on some aspects of your health care. As of September 23, 2010:
- Insurers can no longer impose pre-existing condition exclusions on children under age 19. The ban includes both benefit limitations and outright denial of coverage. These protections apply to all types of insurance except individual policies that are grandfathered. Beginning in 2014, these protections will be extended to all ages.
- ACA eliminates the use of lifetime benefit caps on such essential services as ambulatory patient care, hospitalization, emergency services, chronic disease management, lab services, maternity and newborn care, preventive and wellness care, and prescription drugs.
- Health insurance providers must provide full coverage for preventive health care recommended by the Centers for Disease control including immunizations.
- New ACA rules make emergency services more accessible by prohibiting health plans and insurers from charging higher copayments or coinsurance for emergency services obtained out of a plan network.
- ACA allows children under age 26 to stay on their parents’ family policy or be added to it. Grandfathered group plans can limit this benefit to adult children who do not have any other offer of employment-based coverage.
A number of additional ACA mandates are scheduled to go into effect in 2014.
Maryland State Mandated Health BenefitsMaryland currently has a number of state-mandated benefits that exceed ACA requirements and that private providers must provide or offer in health insurance policies, depending on plan. They currently include:
- Adopted children coverage under parent's policy
- Alcoholism and drug abuse treatment
- Autism
- Blood products
- Bone mass measurements
- Breast reconstruction
- Cervical cancer and HPV screening
- Chlamydia
- Cleft palate
- Clinical trials
- Colorectal cancer screening
- Continuation/employees coverage
- Contraceptives
- Conversion to non-groups
- Dental anesthesia
- Diabetes supplies and self-management
- Emergency services
- Grandchildren coverage under grandparent’s policy
- Hair prostheses
- Handicapped and continuation dependents coverage under parent’s policy
- Hearing aids
- Home health care
- Hospice care
- In vitro fertilization
- Long term care
- Mammography
- Mastectomy stays
- Maternity and maternity stays
- Minimum testicular cancer stays
- Morbid obesity treatment
- Newborn coverage under parent's policy
- Newborn hearing screening
- Mental Health
- Off-Label drug use
- Orthotics and prosthetics
- PKU/Formula
- Prostate cancer screening
- Second surgical opinion
- TMJ disorder
- Well-Child care
Private Health Care Options in MarylandIndividuals and small businesses in Maryland may chose from a variety of Health Maintenance Organizations (HMO); Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO) and Point-of-Service (POS) plans.
- For Individuals and Families –There is a 12-month look-back period and a 12-month exclusionary period for pre-existing conditions for applicants without proof of prior creditable coverage applying for standardized coverage. Elimination riders are permitted. Eligibility is subject to medical underwriting. If you are denied coverage because of a medical condition, you may be eligible for coverage through the MHIP or PCIP. Plan costs including premiums, copayments and coinsurance will vary. There are no caps on individual plan rates.
- For Small Businesses (2 – 50 employees) – Insurers are required by law to sell Comprehensive Standard Health Benefit Plans (CSHBP) to any eligible resident small employer who applies. There may be a 6-month look back period and 12-month exclusionary period for pre-existing conditions for new employees joining an existing non-HMO plan, although this restriction cannot be applied to enrollees under age 19. Pre-existing conditions are covered. Employees must work a minimum of 30 hours per week to be eligible for enrollment. Owner can count as an employee. Insurers can deny coverage if fewer than 75% of eligible employees without any other coverage enroll. Different rules apply for non-profits. Costs to employer are at or less than 10% of Maryland’s average annual wage.
Public Health Care Programs in Maryland
Regulating Agencies and Insurance Information ResourcesMaryland Insurance Administration200 St Paul Place, Ste 2700Baltimore, MD 21202410.468.2000http://www.mdinsurance.state.md.us
(NAIC) National Association of Insurance Commissioners
The National Association of Insurance Commissioners (NAIC) is the organization of insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and the five U.S. territories. The NAIC provides a forum for the development of uniform policy when uniformity is appropriate. NAIC members are the elected or appointed state government officials who along with their departments and staff regulate the conduct of insurance companies and agents in their respective state or territory.
http://www.naic.org/
Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.)
The mission of the Insurance Information Institute (I.I.I.) is to improve public understanding of insurance -- what it does and how it works.
Contact info:
110 William Street
New York, NY 10038
212-346-5500
http://www.iii.org/