What 'private health insurance' means in Maryland
Major-medical plans sold outside Maryland Health Connection by carriers that lease national PPO networks — in Maryland, Cigna, Aetna and PHCS PPO. They cover doctor visits, hospitalization, surgery, prescriptions and preventive care, with deductibles and an out-of-pocket maximum. Because they're medically underwritten, healthy applicants are priced lower than a guaranteed-issue pool.
Who qualifies
Generally healthy applicants, ages 18–64, with no major pre-existing conditions. There's a short health questionnaire and a prescription-history check; no exam. Serious conditions can be declined or excluded — if that's your situation, the marketplace is the right answer and we'll say so.
What they cost in Maryland
Individuals roughly $290–$600 a month by age and deductible; families roughly $800–$1,300. Enroll any month; apply by the 20th for the 1st. See live prices on our quoting tool.
Maryland runs its own state-based marketplace, Maryland Health Connection, and limits short-term plans to three months with no renewals. Private options here are narrower than in most states, so the honest answer is usually a careful comparison, not a promise of savings.