| Due to increased medical costs, rising malpractice | | | | Programs," then click on "Medicaid and Health |
| insurance rates, and increased longevity rates, health | | | | Insurance Programs." |
| insurance premiums have doubled in the last few | | | | Private Health Insurance Programs |
| years. But you can still get a cheap rate on Maryland | | | | If you're not eligible for any of Maryland's state |
| health insurance if you know how. | | | | health insurance programs, you can still get |
| Government Health Insurance Programs | | | | inexpensive health insurance through a private carrier. |
| Maryland offers a number of government sponsored | | | | With private health insurance you have two basic |
| health insurance programs. Depending on your level of | | | | types of plans - indemnity plans and managed health |
| eligibility, these programs are either very cheap or | | | | care plans. Indemnity plans let you choose your own |
| cost nothing at all. These programs include: | | | | doctors and hospitals, but they are much more |
| * Maryland's Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid) | | | | expensive than managed health care plans. Managed |
| for low-income families, children, pregnant women, | | | | health care plans assign you to a network of doctors |
| women with breast or cervical cancer, the elderly, | | | | and hospitals you must use for your medical needs, |
| and people who are blind or disabled. | | | | and are the cheapest health care plans. |
| * Maryland's Children's Health Program (MCHP) for | | | | Inexpensive Health Care Plans |
| uninsured children under the age of 19 whose family's | | | | To get the best rate on a health insurance plan you |
| income is less than 200% of the federal poverty | | | | have to compare rates from a number of different |
| level. | | | | insurance companies. Thanks to the Internet and the |
| * Maryland's Children's Health Program Premium | | | | advent of insurance comparison websites, it only |
| (MCHP) for uninsured children under the age of 19 | | | | takes a few minutes to get health insurance quotes |
| whose family's income is more than 200% but less | | | | you can compare in order to get a cheap rate. |
| than 300% of the federal poverty level. | | | | Visit or click on the following link to get Maryland |
| * Maryland's Primary Adult Care Program (PAC) for | | | | health insurance rate quotes from top-rated |
| low-income individuals, 19 or older, who are not on | | | | companies and see how much you can save. You can |
| Medicare and who don't qualify for Medicaid. | | | | get more insurance tips in their Articles section, and |
| *Maryland's Family Planning Program for women who | | | | get answers to your questions from an insurance |
| have lost their Medicaid coverage after being | | | | expert by using their online chat service. |
| covered for a pregnancy under MCHP. | | | | The author, Brian Stevens, is a former insurance |
| To find out if you're eligible for any of these | | | | agent and financial consultant who has written a |
| programs go to the Maryland Department of Health | | | | number of articles on Maryland health insurance. |
| website - dhmh.state.md.us - click on "Health Care | | | | |