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What are my private health insurance options in Maryland, and what do they cost?
Written and reviewed by Dick Tracy, licensed health insurance broker (NPN 20414610) · Published October 6, 2026
Private health insurance in Maryland is any coverage you buy yourself from an insurance company, instead of getting it from a government program or a job. For most people that means an individual plan, and the state has already approved the 2027 prices: an average increase of 14.6%. In the state's own example, the lowest-cost silver plan sold off the exchange for a 40-year-old in the Baltimore metro region runs from $350 to $674 a month in 2027 with no subsidy, depending on the company. Business owners and the self-employed have one more route that most people never hear about. I'm Dick Tracy, a licensed health insurance broker, licensed in Maryland and based in Buffalo, NY. I educate, you decide.
I hold licenses in 25 states (NPN 20414610) and work with 80+ carriers. I work with Maryland residents by phone or Zoom, with the plan documents on the screen. This page is for anyone in Maryland who does not have coverage through a job: you are between jobs, you retired before 65, you work for yourself, or you earn too much to get help with the premium. If you are self-employed, I wrote a deeper page just for you: health insurance in Maryland for the self-employed.
2027 individual plans
silver example, age 40, Baltimore metro
covered through the individual market
Source for all three: Maryland Insurance Administration, approved 2027 rates, September 25, 2026. The $350 to $674 range is the lowest and highest 2027 figure in the state's table.
What "private health insurance" means in Maryland
People use the phrase two ways, and it causes confusion. In everyday talk, private health insurance means a plan you buy on your own. It is not Medicare. It is not Medicaid. It is not a plan your employer hands you. You pick it, you pay for it, and it has your name on it.
Here is the part that surprises people. The plans sold through Maryland Health Connection, the state's own marketplace, are private health insurance too. Private companies write them and pay the claims. The exchange is a store and a place to apply for help with the premium. It is not a government health plan. So in Maryland, "private" and "marketplace" are not opposites. The real questions are which company, which plan, whether you qualify for help, and whether a different route fits you better.
The kinds of private coverage a Maryland resident can buy
1. An individual plan through Maryland Health Connection
Maryland runs its own marketplace, Maryland Health Connection, not healthcare.gov. The plans are bronze, silver, gold, and so on, sold by private companies. Nobody asks health questions and nobody can charge you more for a condition. This is the only place a federal premium tax credit or Maryland's own premium assistance can be applied.
Fits: anyone who qualifies for help with the premium, and anyone with significant health needs.
2. The same individual plans, bought off the exchange
You can buy the same kind of plan straight from the company, off the exchange, at the same price and under the same rules. The only real difference is that a premium tax credit does not apply to a plan bought this way.
Fits: people who are sure their income is too high for any help and who want an individual plan.
3. A pre-established ERISA group plan, for owners and the self-employed
If you own a business or work for yourself, you may be able to join a pre-established ERISA group plan as a solo owner. It comes with group rates and a true PPO network of the PHCS and MultiPlan type. No employees are required, and there is one simple compliance step that I walk you through. It does not run through the exchange. I confirm eligibility on the call.
Fits: an owner or self-employed person earning too much for a subsidy. If you get a paycheck from someone else and have no business income, this route is not for you.
4. Add-on coverage that sits on top of a real plan
A fixed indemnity plan can be written as secondary coverage. It pays you cash benefits that can limit the sting of the deductible, the copays, and the out-of-pocket maximum on the plan underneath it. Accident, critical illness, and gap coverage work the same way. Which of these are approved for a Maryland resident can change, so I check before I quote.
Fits: someone who already has a real plan and worries about a big deductible. These are add-ons. I will never set one up as your only coverage.
What private health insurance costs in Maryland
On September 25, 2026, the Maryland Insurance Administration approved 2027 rates. Individual plans go up 14.6% on average before any subsidy. Small group plans go up 10.2% on average. An average hides a lot, so the state published an example. The table below is that example, labeled the way the state labels it: each company's lowest-cost silver plan, sold off the exchange, for a 40-year-old in the Baltimore metro region, with no subsidy.
| Company and plan type | 2026 approved, monthly | 2027 approved, monthly | Rate change | Monthly change |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CareFirst BlueChoice (HMO) | $371 | $431 | 16.1% | $60 more |
| CareFirst GHMSI/CFMI (PPO) | $585 | $674 | 15.2% | $89 more |
| Kaiser (HMO) | $344 | $371 | 7.8% | $27 more |
| Optimum Choice, a UnitedHealthcare company (HMO) | $342 | $350 | 2.6% | $9 more |
| Wellpoint Maryland (HMO) | $437 | $521 | 19.2% | $84 more |
Source: Maryland Insurance Administration, "Lowest Cost Silver Plan, Age 40, Baltimore Metro Region," approved rates, unsubsidized, off-exchange. Figures are the state's, rounded by the state, which is why one row is off by a dollar. Listed in the state's order, not ranked.
Read that table for what it is. It is one age, one region, and one metal level. Your price moves with your age, where you live, who is on the plan, and the plan you pick. It does not move with your health. A 60-year-old pays far more than a 40-year-old for the same plan, and a family pays more than one person.
For a wider view, KFF publishes the average marketplace premium for a 40-year-old before any subsidy. For 2026, Maryland's averages were $283 a month for the lowest-cost bronze plan, $414 for the benchmark silver plan, and $404 for the lowest-cost gold plan. The national averages for 2026 were $456, $625, and $615. So Maryland ran well under the country as a whole. Those are 2026 numbers. The 2027 increase lands on top of them, and each plan moves by its own amount, so I would not just multiply.
Source: KFF, average marketplace premiums by metal tier, 2026.
Why is Maryland cheaper than the national average? One likely reason is the state's reinsurance program, which pays part of the biggest claims. The Maryland Insurance Administration says the program keeps rates 30% to 35% lower than they would be without it, and the federal waiver behind it is approved through 2028.
Can you get help with the price?
Maybe. Help only applies to plans bought through Maryland Health Connection. For 2027 coverage, the federal premium tax credit stops at 400% of the federal poverty level, which is $63,840 for one person. Maryland also runs its own premium assistance for households below that 400% line, and an extra young adult subsidy for ages 18 to 37. Both continue for 2027. I laid out the dollar lines here: Maryland Health Connection income limits.
The premium is only one number. Look at the deductible, the out-of-pocket maximum, the network, and the drug list before you call anything cheap. A low premium with a doctor you cannot see is not a bargain.
Which companies sell individual health plans in Maryland
The state's 2027 approved-rate table lists five individual plan lines from four company groups. Here they are in alphabetical order. This is a list, not a ranking.
- CareFirst BlueChoice (HMO)
- CareFirst GHMSI/CFMI (PPO)
- Kaiser (HMO)
- Optimum Choice, a UnitedHealthcare company (HMO)
- Wellpoint Maryland (HMO)
Source: Maryland Insurance Administration, approved 2027 rates. Not every company sells in every county.
People ask me which one is the best health insurance in Maryland. I will not name one, and you should be careful with anyone who does before asking about you. The best plan is the one your doctors take, that covers your prescriptions, at a total yearly cost you can live with. That answer is different for a 28-year-old in Baltimore and a 61-year-old on the Eastern Shore.
The routes side by side
| Route | Who can buy it | Help with the premium? | When you can buy |
|---|---|---|---|
| Individual plan through Maryland Health Connection | Maryland residents | Yes, if your income qualifies. The only route where it applies | Open enrollment, November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027 (enroll by December 31, expected, for a January 1 start), or after a qualifying life event |
| Same individual plans, off the exchange | Maryland residents | No premium tax credit | Open enrollment or after a qualifying life event |
| Pre-established ERISA group plan | Business owners and the self-employed. No employees required. I confirm eligibility on the call | No. Group rates instead | Does not run through the exchange. Ask me about timing |
| Add-on coverage (fixed indemnity as secondary, accident, critical illness, gap) | People who already have a real plan | No | Depends on the product and what is approved in Maryland |
Maryland's individual major-medical plans cannot price on your health and ask no health questions, on the exchange or off it. For anything else, I sort out who qualifies on the call.
Enrollment dates: see my Maryland open enrollment 2027 page for the sources. The cutoff for a January 1 start is December 31 (expected, based on the state's standing rule).
Who each route fits
How to buy private health insurance in Maryland with a broker
You can shop alone. Plenty of people do. What a broker adds is a second set of eyes that has read the plan documents. Here is how it works with me.
- We talk for thirty minutes. Phone or Zoom. I do not charge a fee for the call.
- You bring five things. Ages of everyone who needs coverage, your county, your doctors, your prescriptions, and a rough income number.
- I put the routes that fit you side by side. Premium, deductible, out-of-pocket maximum, network, and drug coverage, from the carriers I work with.
- I tell you when I am not your best option. If a subsidized plan or Medicaid is the better deal, I say so.
- You decide. No pressure and no deadline I made up.
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage in Maryland runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 31, 2026 (expected) for a January 1 start. The dates and the fine print are on my Maryland open enrollment 2027 page. If you want to understand the bigger trade-off first, read private health insurance vs the marketplace.
Common questions about private health insurance in Maryland
What is private health insurance in Maryland?
It is coverage you buy yourself from an insurance company, instead of getting it from a government program like Medicare or Medicaid or from a job. In Maryland that mostly means an individual plan, bought through Maryland Health Connection or straight from the company. Plans on the state marketplace are private insurance too, because private companies write them. Business owners and the self-employed may also be able to join a pre-established ERISA group plan.
How much is private health insurance in Maryland?
It depends on your age, where you live, and the plan. In the state's own 2027 example, the lowest-cost silver plan sold off the exchange for a 40-year-old in the Baltimore metro region runs from $350 to $674 a month with no subsidy, depending on the company. The Maryland Insurance Administration approved an average increase of 14.6% for 2027 individual plans. For 2026, KFF put the Maryland average for a 40-year-old at $283 a month for the lowest-cost bronze plan and $414 for the benchmark silver plan, before any subsidy.
What is the best private health insurance in Maryland?
There is no single best company. The best plan is the one your doctors take, that covers your prescriptions, at a total yearly cost you can live with. That changes with your age, your county, and your health. If you qualify for help with the premium, that changes the math, and I will tell you so. If you own a business or work for yourself and earn too much for a subsidy, a pre-established ERISA group plan is worth pricing next to the individual plans.
How do I buy private health insurance in Maryland?
Individual plans are sold through Maryland Health Connection, directly by the insurance companies, and through licensed brokers. The price of a given plan is the same whichever way you buy it. I am a licensed broker, and I do not charge a fee to compare your options. Bring your ages, your county, your doctors, your prescriptions, and a rough income number to a thirty-minute call and I will put the routes that fit you side by side.
Which companies sell individual health plans in Maryland?
The Maryland Insurance Administration's approved 2027 rate table lists five individual plan lines: CareFirst BlueChoice (HMO), CareFirst GHMSI/CFMI (PPO), Kaiser (HMO), Optimum Choice, a UnitedHealthcare company (HMO), and Wellpoint Maryland (HMO). Not every company sells in every county, so ask me what is offered where you live.
Can I be turned down for private health insurance in Maryland because of a health condition?
Not for an individual major-medical plan. Maryland's individual market cannot price on your health and asks no health questions, on the exchange or off it. If you have had a serious diagnosis in the last five years, a guaranteed-issue individual plan is the right fit for you for now.
When can I buy private health insurance in Maryland?
Open enrollment for 2027 coverage runs from November 1, 2026 to January 15, 2027. Enroll by December 31, 2026 (expected) for a January 1 start. Outside that window you need a qualifying life event, such as losing job coverage, to buy an individual plan.
Can I get help paying for private health insurance in Maryland?
Only on a plan bought through Maryland Health Connection. For 2027 coverage the federal premium tax credit stops at 400% of the federal poverty level, which is $63,840 for one person. Maryland also offers its own premium assistance for households below that line and an extra young adult subsidy for ages 18 to 37. If your income is low enough, Medicaid may cover you instead.
Thirty minutes on the phone or Zoom, no fee, no hard sell. Bring your ages, your county, your doctors, your prescriptions, and a rough income number. I put the routes that fit you side by side. I educate, you decide.
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