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2023

Best Health Insurance in Maryland

Best Overall for Health Insurance in Maryland

With a score of 80 out of 100 on MoneyGeek, Kaiser Permanente is the best health insurance provider in Maryland. This company has affordable policies with better-than-average maximum out-of-pocket costs and a higher claims processing record. We looked at 180 health maintenance organization (HMO) plans and 20 preferred provider organization (PPO) plans in Maryland's Silver health plans for this category.

Kaiser Permanente

pros

Best claims handling score out of other insurers analyzed

Lowest premiums

Higher-than-average MOOP score

cons

Below average plan score

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

According to our research, Kaiser Permanente is the best overall health insurance provider in Maryland. There are 80 Silver plans to choose from this provider, all of which are HMO plans. At about $346 per month, the company’s premiums are the lowest in the state. You can save money on overall health care costs thanks to the provider's low premiums and even lower average out-of-pocket expenses of $7,938.

In addition, Kaiser Permanente has a low claims denial rate of 9.78%. This suggests that the majority of claims that are valid are approved and that claims are paid for in a timely and equitable manner.

Plan Recommendations

For the residents of Maryland, MoneyGeek recommends the following HMO plans from Kaiser Permanente:

  • KP MD Silver 3200/20%/HSA/Vision HMO plan: $333 per month (MOOP of $6,650)
  • KP MD Virtual Forward 4000: $331 per month (MOOP of $7,500)
  • KP MD Silver 6000/40/Vision: $358 per month (MOOP of $8,500)

Best Health Insurance in Maryland for Low Out-of-Pocket Costs

Kaiser Permanente is the best health insurance provider in Maryland for people who look to pay low out-of-pocket expenses. The company has a MoneyGeek score of 88 and is the best because it provides affordable premiums, low out-of-pocket maximums and excellent claims handling.

Two hundred Gold HMO plans, 20 Gold PPO plans and 20 Platinum HMO plans were the primary focus of our analysis in this category.

Kaiser Permanente

pros

High affordability score

Excellent MOOP score

Great claims management

cons

Limited plan options

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

When comparing health insurance plans in Maryland, Kaiser Permanente stands out as the best option for policies with low maximum out-of-pocket costs. It provides 80 Gold HMO plans and 20 Platinum HMO plans. The monthly premium for the provider is an average of $350.

Besides low premiums, Kaiser Permanente offers its plans at a low out-of-pocket maximum (MOOP) cost averaging $6,010. The company has a claims denial rate of 0.10%, which indicates that it accepts a significant number of insurance claims. It is highly likely that your claims requests will be paid for without any unwarranted stress being involved.

Plan Recommendations

If you're looking for low-MOOP plans, we recommend the following plans from Kaiser Permanente:

  • KP MD Gold Virtual Forward 2000: $322 per month (MOOP of $5,000)
  • KP MD Platinum 0/15/Vision: $403 per month on average (MOOP of $3,900)
  • KP MD Gold 1750/20/Vision: $325 per month (MOOP of $6,950)

Best Cheap Health Insurance in Maryland

Kaiser Permanente is the best cheap health insurance company in Maryland, with an 89 out of 100 MoneyGeek score. Its plans average $346 per month.

When choosing the winner in this area, we gave affordability more weight. Low-premium plans, however, typically have higher out-of-pocket expenses. For this category, 180 HMOs and 20 PPOs were evaluated.

If you're focused soley on cost, MoneyGeek also determined the cheapest health insurance in Maryland.

Kaiser Permanente

pros

Excellent claims handling score

Higher-than-average MOOP score

Cheapest insurance premiums

cons

Limited in plan offerings

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

According to our study, Kaiser Permanente is the most affordable health insurer for residents seeking health insurance in Maryland. Its typical monthly plan costs around $346, with a maximum out-of-pocket expense of $7,938.

Although its plans are relatively cheap, Kaiser Permanente only offers four different Silver HMO plans for you to choose from. In spite of this, the company has a denial rate of 9.78%, which indicates that it has an excellent reputation for claim handling and seldom rejects claims.

Plan Recommendations

For residents of Maryland seeking low-cost health insurance, we recommend the following policies from Kaiser Permanente:

  • KP MD Silver 3200/20%/HSA/Vision: $333 per month (MOOP of $6,650)
  • KP MD Silver Virtual Forward 4000: $331 per month (MOOP of $7,500)
  • KP MD Silver 6000/40/Vision: $358 per month (MOOP of $8,500)

Best Health Insurance for Young Adults in Maryland

Blue Cross Blue Shield is the top-rated health insurance provider for young adults in Maryland, receiving a MoneyGeek score of 60 out of 100. We analyzed health insurance providers offering Bronze or Catastrophic plans with low monthly premiums and high out-of-pocket expenses. Catastrophic plans are restricted to individuals who are either under 30 years of age or meet the criteria for a hardship exemption.

We evaluated 16 Catastrophic HMO plans, 200 Bronze HMO plans and 20 PPO plans in Maryland for this category.

Blue Cross Blue Shield

pros

Higher-than-average claims handling score

Lowest MOOP of all the insurers we evaluated

cons

Expensive premiums

Doesn’t offer many plans

COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

The best health insurance company in Maryland for young adults is Blue Cross Blue Shield. It costs, on average, $224 per month for people aged 26 and has a $8,260 MOOP. The provider is not the most affordable in the state, but it does not usually deny legitimate claim requests thanks to its higher-than-average claims denial rate. It has the best MOOP score in the state, indicating that MOOP prices are low on average.

Blue Cross Blue Shield provides 60 Bronze HMO plans, 20 Bronze PPO plans and eight Catastrophic HMO plans.

Plan Recommendations

If you are a young adult living in Maryland and are looking for the best health insurance policy in the state, MoneyGeek recommends the following plans from Blue Cross Blue Shield:

  • BlueChoice HMO HSA Bronze $6,150: $220 per month for a 26-year-old and $196 for an 18-year-old (MOOP of $6,900)
  • BlueChoice HMO Bronze $8,250: $209 per month for a 26-year-old and $187 for an 18-year-old (MOOP of $8,250)
  • BluePreferred PPO Bronze $8,250: $358 per month for a 26-year-old and $319 for an 18-year-old (MOOP of $8,250)

Best Health Insurance by Plan Type in Maryland

In general, health insurance providers offer various plan types that have different benefits and features. According to our analysis of Maryland health insurance providers, Kaiser Permanente offers the best HMO plans, while Blue Cross Blue Shield offers the best PPO plans.

For this category, we only used Silver plans, which often provide a balance between affordable premiums and reduced out-of-pocket expenses. The review included a look at 180 HMOs and 20 PPOs in Maryland.

Best for HMO: Kaiser Permanente

Kaiser Permanente
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

We determined that Kaiser Permanente is the best HMO provider in Maryland. Its monthly plan costs around $346, and its MOOP cost is around $7,938. In addition to its affordable rates and low out-of-pocket expenses, it has a stellar reputation for claims management. The insurer offers 80 Silver HMO plans in the state.

Health maintenance organization (HMO) plans are the most common and are cheaper than other plan types. That said, your health care options are limited to in-network physicians. Also, to visit a specialist, you need a referral from your primary health care physician.

Plan Recommendations

We recommend the following Kaiser Permanente HMO plans in Maryland:

  • KP MD Silver 3200/20%/HSA/Vision: $333 per month (MOOP of $6,650)
  • KP MD Silver Virtual Forward 4000: $331 per month (MOOP of $7,500)

Best for PPO: Blue Cross Blue Shield

Blue Cross Blue Shield
COMPANY HIGHLIGHTS

Blue Cross Blue Shield emerges as Maryland's best PPO provider. The monthly cost is on the higher side, approximately $554, but it offers a low average MOOP of $6,500. This provider is known for its excellence in handling claims. Blue Cross Blue Shield currently provides 20 Silver PPO plan options in Maryland.

Preferred provider organization (PPO) plans cost more than HMO plan types, but they come with a wider network. It is flexible in that you do not need a referral to visit specialist doctors.

Plan Recommendations

We recommend the Blue Cross Blue Shield PPO plan in Maryland listed below:

  • BluePreferred PPO HSA Silver $3,000 VisionPlus: $554 per month (MOOP of $6,500)

How to Find the Best Health Insurance for You in Maryland

The best health insurance plan in Maryland is contingent upon one's health care requirements and budget. Achieving an optimal balance between affordable monthly premiums and reasonable out-of-pocket expenses is crucial. We evaluate key factors to look at while buying a health insurance policy.

  • doctor icon

    Understand when a health insurance plan will cover you

    HMO plans feature a restricted network of health care providers, while PPO plans offer more options but may have increased expenses. While HMO plans may offer lower premiums, the cost of seeing an out-of-network provider may offset any potential savings. We evaluated 676 health insurance plans, comprising 616 HMO plans and 60 PPO plans.

  • money2 icon

    Weigh the cost of premiums vs. the cost of care

    Opting for low-premium health insurance plans may seem appealing and lead to immediate cost savings. Nevertheless, they frequently include elevated out-of-pocket expenses, leading to higher total yearly medical expenditures. Kaiser Permanente's KP MD Silver 3200/20%/HSA/Vision plan in Maryland has a monthly premium of approximately $333 and a maximum out-of-pocket expense of $6,650. The average monthly cost of its KP MD Platinum 0/15/Vision plan is $403 with a $3,900 MOOP.

Consider Maryland Medicare or Medicaid if You’re Eligible

Maryland residents over 65 years of age or who have a qualifying illness or disability might be eligible for Medicare. This is a federal program offering medical assistance but may require payment for some services. The services included are:

  • Part A: Coverage for hospital-related services, such as care received at skilled nursing facilities or home, as well as inpatient care.
  • Part B: Covers a wider range of medical services, including outpatient care, medical care and preventive services.
  • Part D: Pays for prescription medications and any recommended shots or vaccinations.

If your Medicare policy covers Part A and Part B, private health insurance companies offer Medicare Supplement Insurance (Medigap) in Maryland to cover some Medicare costs. Maryland's Medicare Advantage is a private Medicare-approved health and prescription drug plan. These "bundled" plans cover Parts A, B and D.

Medicaid is a free-of-charge alternative available to Maryland residents who satisfy the eligibility criteria of the program. In Maryland, if your income is less than 138% of the Federal Poverty Level, you could be eligible for Medicaid coverage.

Frequently Asked Questions About Health Insurance in Maryland

Searching for health insurance in Maryland may lead to questions regarding costs and accessibility. To help you find the right plan for your needs, we've answered some frequently asked questions.

About Mark Fitzpatrick


Mark Fitzpatrick headshot

Mark Fitzpatrick is a senior content director at MoneyGeek with over five years of experience analyzing the insurance market, conducting original research and creating content that can be personalized for every buyer. He has been quoted on insurance topics in several publications, including CNBC, NBC News and Mashable.

Mark earned a master’s degree in Economics and International Relations from Johns Hopkins University and a bachelor’s degree from Boston College. He is passionate about using his economics and insurance knowledge to bring transparency around financial topics and help others feel confident in their money moves.