If you are employed and your company offers health insurance, you probably just pick a plan and sign on. However, many are not so lucky to have that option. If you are among the medically uninsured in Maryland what are your options? Here are a few of them:
- Individual Heath Insurance Policies. Buy your own policy from a private insurer. Sites like eHealthInsurance can help you find a plan. This can be expensive because individual policies tend to be much more pricy than group policies plus many employers pay part of their employee's premiums. If you have a chronic illness or an unfortunate medical history, you may not be able to get coverage at all. Insurance companies that sell individual health insurance polices in Maryland include:
- Maryland Health Insurance Plan. Enroll in Maryland Health Insurance Plan. Maryland residents who are denied private health insurance because of a chronic illness such as diabetes or a medical history that includes a conditions like cancer can buy medical coverage from this high-risk insurance pool. CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield administers the plan and benefits and premiums are similar to what CareFirst offers participants in its other plans. To be accepted applicants must not be eligible for any other coverage and must not be uninsured for more than two months.
- Maryland Children's Health Program Low-income children up to age 19 and pregnant women of any age may enroll in Maryland Children's Health Program (MCHP), Maryland's SCHIP program. Children's family income must be at no more than 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level (FPL), which in 2007 would mean $41,300 for a family of four, and pregnant women must be less than 250 percent or $51,625 for a family of four. However, a MCHP Premium allows in participants with incomes up to 300 percent of the FPL if they pay higher premiums. More on MCHP Income Guidelines.
- Medicaid. People who receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or Temporary Cash Assistance (TCA) automatically qualify for Medicaid, which is a federally funded program with stricter income limits than MCHP but is open to residents of all ages.
- Medicare. If you are eligible for Medicare, but need help paying your premiums or co-pays contact your local department of social services about the Low-Income Medicare Beneficiary (SLMB) Program.
