Maryland open enrollment 2027 Open enrollment · Maryland

Maryland Open Enrollment 2027 for Small Business Owners

Last updated November 3, 2026 · By Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker

Short answer

For small business owners in Maryland, Maryland Health Connection sets the 2027 open enrollment dates; check its site for this year's deadlines. Your own coverage can also come from a private, medically underwritten plan, which does not wait for the window: if approved, it can start the first of any month.

What 2027 looks like for you

Maryland's average 2027 rate change is 14.6% (finalized). The details are on the Maryland 2027 premium increase page.

Group plans can renew at any point in the year, so open enrollment matters to owners for two reasons: an individual coverage HRA, or ICHRA, reimburses employees for individual plans they choose, and most of that shopping happens in this window; and an owner covering only the household buys in the individual market too. For your own household, the 2027 subsidy line is $63,840 for one person, $86,560 for two and $132,000 for four.

Maryland this year

Maryland's small employers get the gentler number in 2027: the small-group market is moving about 10.2 percent, while individual premiums climb about 14.6 percent on finalized filings. The state's long-running reinsurance program keeps individual premiums lower than they would be, but it could not absorb all of this year's pressure. Staff reimbursed through an ICHRA would enroll through Maryland Health Connection, the state exchange, which has offered state-funded premium help for some groups in past years. A federal contractor in Columbia, a biotech consultancy on the I-270 corridor or a seasonal Eastern Shore business will find networks there that differ from those in western Maryland.

Small-group plans in Maryland average about 10.2% for 2027, against 14.6% for individual plans, so put this year's group renewal next to an ICHRA quote before you sign it.

One thing to do before you choose

Request the group renewal and set it against Maryland Health Connection prices for your employees' actual ZIP codes, from Silver Spring and Bethesda to Annapolis and Frederick. Check the exchange for any current state programs, since past ones helped some young adults with premiums. If the group increase lands near the 10.2 percent statewide figure, renewing may make more sense than restructuring this year.

Your checklist

Your 2027 group renewal letter and its effective date
How many employees you have and where they live
A fixed monthly ICHRA budget you could offer
Your own household's coverage, priced separately

Private plan or Marketplace?

Private plan

For the owner's own household when everyone is healthy: priced on age, ZIP code and health. Approval depends on health answers; not an ACA Marketplace plan.

Marketplace

For employees on an ICHRA, or an owner with ongoing care: Maryland Health Connection accepts everyone during open enrollment.

Compare Maryland plans this open enrollment

Private plans priced first, the Marketplace alongside when it fits. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee.

Get a quote Book a call (786) 218-2384

About your broker

Frank Caballero (NPN 21032307), licensed in 31 states including Maryland. Phone or video, English or Spanish, no fee; independent, not HealthCare.gov or any government agency.

Questions

Who sets Maryland's 2027 open enrollment deadline?

Maryland Health Connection, Maryland's own exchange. Check its site for this year's dates before you plan around them.

Do Maryland continuation rules apply to a 6-person business like mine?

Yes. Maryland applies its continuation rule to insured group plans at employers below 20 workers too, offering up to 18 months to residents who leave voluntarily or are let go for reasons other than cause after three months covered. They get 45 days to elect and pay the premium plus up to 2 percent.

Can I get a private plan in Maryland after open enrollment closes?

Yes. You can apply in any month and, if approved, a private plan can start the first of a month; the insurer can decline based on health answers.

More for Maryland

Official source: Maryland Health Connection: special enrollment. FC Insurance Solutions is an independent, licensed brokerage and is not affiliated with any government agency.

Written by Frank Caballero, licensed health insurance broker in Maryland and 30 other states, NPN 21032307. Last updated November 3, 2026.