COBRA Insurance In The State Of Maryland

Maryland’s mini-COBRA law allows for continuation of group health insurance for employees who have lost their job and meet certain eligibility requirements.

Maryland Health Insurance Continuation Coverage Law

Individuals in Maryland who lose their job and meet certain eligibility requirements may continue their group health insurance coverage under the Maryland Health Insurance Continuation Coverage Law, commonly referred to as the state’s mini-COBRA law.

This coverage can last up to 18 months. The average cost of this continuation coverage is typically 102% of the total premium cost for the individual and their dependents. To calculate your cost of COBRA, take the amount you were paying by payroll deduction and add that to the amount the employer was subsidizing.

Eligibility for Employer Health Insurance Continuation

To be eligible for Maryland's mini-COBRA coverage, an individual must meet the following criteria:

• They must have been covered under a group health insurance policy sponsored by a former employer
• They must have lost their job through no fault of their own (e.g., layoff, reduction in hours)
• They must not have become eligible for Medicare or have another group health insurance coverage available to them.
• They must have a COBRA qualifying event, which typically includes loss of coverage due to a job loss, reduction in hours, death, divorce, or loss of dependent status.

Alternative Low Cost Medical Plans in Maryland

Continuing an employer plan in Maryland with Mini-COBRA is around $480/mo, per individual. If COBRA is unavailable or is outside of your budget, you do have affordable other options for health coverage. See below:

The cost of health insurance is determined by your age and state of residency.