Health Insurance When Moving to Maryland
Moving to Maryland means your old health plan's network probably will not follow you. The fastest fix for a healthy person is often a private plan, which can start the first of any month if approved, without waiting for a qualifying-event review. Maryland Marketplace premiums are rising 14.6% on average for 2027.
Private health insurance in Maryland
Most people I help in Maryland end up on a private plan, not a Marketplace plan. Private, medically underwritten health insurance is priced on your age, zip code and health instead of your income, so a strong year never raises your premium and there is no tax credit to pay back in April.
Why people leave the Marketplace
- Premiums keep climbing. Maryland Marketplace premiums are rising 14.6% on average for 2027.
- The subsidy cliff. Above 400 percent of the poverty level ($63,840 for one person, $132,000 for a family of four) you pay full price.
- Surprise tax bills. Underestimate your income and you repay the tax credit in April.
- Narrow networks. Many plans are local HMOs or EPOs that need referrals and cover little outside the area.
- High out-of-pocket costs. 2027 out-of-pocket maximums reach $12,000 per person and $24,000 per family.
- One window a year. Outside open enrollment you need a qualifying life event to enroll or switch.
What a private plan does differently
- Start any month. If approved, coverage can begin the first of next month, with no wait for open enrollment.
- Networks that travel. Many private plans use national PPO networks, which can give you in-network doctors outside Maryland too. Networks vary by plan.
- Can cost less than full-price Marketplace plans for some healthy applicants above the subsidy line.
- Accident coverage the Marketplace does not offer. A private plan can be paired with accident coverage, a separate policy. What it includes varies by plan.
- Approval is based on health. You answer health questions, and acceptance is not guaranteed.
With a significant health condition, or income low enough for a large tax credit, a Marketplace plan can be the better fit, and I will tell you if it is. Either way you see both side by side.
Private plans are not ACA Marketplace plans. Benefits, exclusions and pre-existing condition rules differ by plan and by state, so review the plan details before you enroll.
Get a private plan quoteLearn more: coverage not based on income · how underwriting works · private vs Obamacare · PPO plans for individuals · switching from the Marketplace
Who is moving to Maryland
More people leave Maryland for other states than arrive, but the gap is shrinking: net domestic migration went from a loss of about 45,950 people in 2022 to about 12,130 in the year ending July 2025, according to Census estimates, while international arrivals kept the population growing. The 2024 American Community Survey shows newcomers arriving mainly from Virginia, D.C., Pennsylvania, New York and California. Frederick County has grown about 11.5 percent since 2020, the fastest in Maryland, followed by Queen Anne's and Charles counties, and the Hagerstown-Martinsburg metro is up about 7 percent.
Getting covered after you move to Maryland
New residents enroll through Maryland Health Connection, which gives 60 days after moving to Maryland to choose a plan. That window generally depends on having had qualifying coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before you moved, though people coming from abroad are exempt. Maryland prices plans in just four rating areas, one of them covering only Montgomery and Prince George's counties. Marylanders who go uninsured can also check a box on their state tax return to open an enrollment window. The MVA expects a new license, title and registration within 60 days.
The Maryland individual market at a glance
Maryland Health Connection, the state's own exchange, sets its own open enrollment dates; check its site for 2027 deadlines. Maryland offers more state help than most states: its State Reinsurance Program, approved through 2028, helps hold down premiums, and the Maryland Premium Assistance Program adds state help on top of federal tax credits for eligible enrollees based on household income. Maryland's continuation law reaches the small employers that federal COBRA skips, so leaving a small shop usually means you can keep the group plan for up to 18 months if you elect within 45 days. Short-term plans are tightly limited to less than three months with no renewals, which makes them a narrow bridge rather than a long-term option. Because the state subsidy runs through Maryland Health Connection, buying through the exchange matters if you want the full amount of help.
Other Maryland rules to know
- Short-term plans: Maryland law limits short-term plans to less than three months with no renewals, which is stricter than the federal rule, so the federal enforcement pause does not change anything in Maryland.
- Where to enroll: Maryland runs its own exchange, Maryland Health Connection. Maryland Health Connection sets its own open enrollment dates; check its site for 2027 deadlines. Private, medically underwritten plans can start the first of any month if approved.
- 2027 rates: individual plans 14.6% on average, small-group plans about 10.2%. See the Maryland 2027 rate page.
The moving special enrollment period
A permanent move to a new state usually opens a 60-day Marketplace special enrollment period, but only if you had qualifying coverage for at least one day in the 60 days before the move. Without that prior coverage, you may have to wait for open enrollment.
Why many movers go private
A private, medically underwritten plan does not need a qualifying event, can start the first of any month if approved and is priced on health, not income. Many use national PPO networks, which help while you are still traveling between your old and new homes. Private plans are not Marketplace plans, so review the benefits and pre-existing condition rules.
Keep coverage continuous
Do not cancel your old plan until the new one starts. A one-month gap can cost far more than an overlapping premium.
For 2027 the Marketplace credit stops at 400 percent of the poverty level: $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two and $132,000 for a family of four. The out-of-pocket maximum for 2027 Marketplace plans is $12,000 for one person and $24,000 for a family. The full guide covers the rest.
Compare Maryland plans
Licensed in Maryland. Private plans priced first, Marketplace alongside when it fits. No fee.
Maryland questions
Where do Maryland residents enroll in 2027 coverage?
Maryland runs its own exchange, Maryland Health Connection. Maryland Health Connection sets its own open enrollment dates; check its site for 2027 deadlines.
What continuation rights does Maryland give after leaving a small employer?
Maryland requires insured group plans, including those of employers with fewer than 20 workers, to offer up to 18 months of continuation to Maryland residents who leave a job voluntarily or are let go for reasons other than cause after three months of coverage. You have 45 days to elect it and pay the full premium plus up to a 2 percent fee.
How much are Maryland premiums rising for 2027?
Individual-market premiums are set to rise 14.6% on average, and small-group plans about 10.2%.
Does moving to a new state let me change health insurance?
Usually. A permanent move opens a 60-day Marketplace special enrollment period if you had qualifying coverage in the 60 days before the move. If approved, private plans can start any month regardless.
Can I keep my old state's health plan after I move?
Individual plans are sold by state and area, so most will not work well after a permanent move, apart from emergencies. Plan to switch soon after you arrive.
Sources: www2.census.gov, www.census.gov, www.cms.gov, mva.maryland.gov. Facts checked October 2026. See all Maryland health insurance rules.
Moving here in other states
Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance agent in Maryland and 30 other states, NPN 21032307.