Maryland: Nearly 250K enroll for 2025 plans thru MD Health Connection

via Maryland Health Connection:

Enrollment increased by 16% over last year – seventh annual increase in a row.

BALTIMORE (Jan. 17, 2025) – Nearly a quarter-million Marylanders enrolled for 2025 through Maryland Health Connection – a new record for the state-based health insurance marketplace.

A total of 247,243 enrolled during the open enrollment period that began Nov. 1, 2024 and ended Wednesday. That was up 16% from 213,895 enrollments one year ago. An additional roughly 150 people who were in line with the Maryland Health Connection call center at midnight Wednesday may be in the process of completing their enrollments this week.

This marked the seventh consecutive year of enrollment increases in the health insurance marketplace that Maryland established in 2013 following the passage of the Affordable Care
Act. Total enrollment is up 56% since the pandemic.

Enrollments by young adults aged 18-37 grew 21% from 73,858 to 89,642. More than two-thirds of them – 64,820 – were eligible for a subsidy that Maryland created for young adults in 2022 to encourage their enrollment in health insurance. Their participation helps lower rates for everyone. The General Assembly will consider legislation this winter to make that program permanent.

“This is important because young adults are among the most likely populations to go without health insurance. They make up more than 40% of the uninsured population in Maryland,” said
Michele Eberle, executive director of Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, which operates Maryland Health Connection. “Because young adults are healthier on average, that holds down premium costs for everyone. And it is important for their own sake as young adults have experienced greater incidents of mental health and substance abuse problems for which they can be treated with health coverage.”

Maryland Health Connection directed a portion of its marketing efforts to Black and Hispanic communities that historically have lacked health insurance. Enrollment by Black consumers grew 23% from 41,611 to 51,086 for 2025. And enrollment by Hispanic consumers grew 25% from 28,701 to 35,883.

Also, for the first time, recipients of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) policy — which protects from deportation certain undocumented immigrants who came to the United States as children – were eligible to enroll in state health insurance marketplaces through action by President Biden. For the 2025 plan year, 249 enrolled in Maryland. Maryland Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced Wednesday that his office is joining 13 other states to defend the DACA ACA access from court challenges.

“Our shared goal is to ensure that every Maryland resident has access to affordable, equitable, and high-quality health coverage options," said Health Secretary Dr. Laura Herrera Scott, who
chairs the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Board of Trustees. “The significant enrollment figures reflect our unwavering commitment to effectively addressing our community's healthcare needs.”

Overall, new enrollments were down 4% from 56,220 a year ago to 54,255. Renewals were up 22% from 157,675 a year ago to 192,988. Also, enrollments by people who qualified for federal financial help increased by 15% from 163,796 a year ago to 188,904. Enrollments by people who did not qualify for federal tax credits grew even more – by 16% – from 50,099 a year ago to 58,339.

Dental plan enrollments rose 23% from 74,939 last year to 92,028 for 2025. Enrollment in vision plans, which were added to Maryland Health Connection last year, nearly tripled from roughly 200 last year to 850.

Five carriers – the most since 2017 – offered plans on Maryland Health Connection for 2025: Aetna, CareFirst, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare and Wellpoint.

Even after open enrollment, opportunities for people to enroll who lack coverage will continue. Marylanders who check a box on their state income tax returns that they need health insurance
will be able to enroll in a program offered through the Office of the Comptroller of Maryland. More than 15,000 have enrolled in coverage through that program since it began in 2020.

Anyone who loses a job and files for unemployment insurance can also check a box during that application process with the Maryland Department of Labor to request help with health coverage. More than 25,000 have enrolled through that program since it began in 2022.

Marylanders who have certain life events, such as losing employer coverage, getting married or divorced, or turning 26 and aging off a parent’s plan, may also be eligible to enroll now. People who are eligible for health coverage through Medicaid can enroll any time of the year.