Health Insurance Tips
WE CAN HELP — Our health care policy experts are working to provide you with the resources you need to make the most of new health care consumer protections and tools.
Get The Best Deal On Health Insurance
Looking for health coverage? The Maryland Health Connection, the new health insurance marketplace, could save you time and money. Use our tips to make the most of this new tool.
1. Check out new options at the Maryland Health Connection. The plans include coverage for doctor visits, hospitalizations, preventive care, maternity care, emergency room care, prescriptions and more.
Online: MarylandHealthConnection.gov
Toll-free: (855) 642-8572 TTY: (855) 642-8573
2. Find out about financial help that’s available. At the Maryland Health Connection, you can find out if you qualify for financial assistance to lower your costs.
3. Use the Maryland Health Connection to compare plans side-by-side. The new marketplace lists your options on one website, and shows what each plan covers.
4. Take advantage of expert help to compare plans in-person, online or by phone. Specially trained people are available in communities across the state to help you apply and understand your options. Find them at MarylandHealthConnection.gov.
5. Don’t take no for an answer. For coverage starting January 2014, insurance companies can no longer deny you due to a pre-existing condition.
6. Keep in touch. Check for updates on our website, and tell us about your experience. We want to hear what you think so we can spot trends and advocate for ongoing improvements. Contact us.
Health Care Consumer Protections
If you have coverage, you already have protections under the health care law, such as:
- Children and young adults can stay on their parents’ plan until age 26
- Free preventive care, including check-ups and vaccinations
- Insurance companies can’t set a lifetime cap on what they’ll pay if you get sick
- Rebates if your insurance company spends less than 80% of premiums on care
Plus, more consumer protections start in 2014, including:
- Insurers can’t deny anyone coverage for having a “pre-existing condition”
- No more annual caps on what your insurer will pay if you get sick
- Insurance companies can’t charge women more than men for coverage
See more information about the health care law, the Affordable Care Act
Issue updates
Maryland PIRG Foundation, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc. (NRDC) and Fashion FWD released a scorecard on Wednesday ranking popular retail and apparel brands on policy commitments to eliminate a dangerous class of toxic “forever chemicals,” known as PFAS, from their products.
Sometimes known by the moniker “forever chemicals” because they are nearly indestructible in the environment, PFAS build up in the bodies of humans over time and persist in the environment.
In the last year, the Maryland Department of the Environment has uncovered widespread drinking water contamination from per-and polyfluoroalkyl substances, more commonly known as PFAS, and issued their first fish consumption advisory due to PFAS contamination in Piscataway Creek.
With kids finally back to school in-person this fall, Maryland PIRG Foundation and Environment Maryland Research and Policy Center released a new toolkit today to help parents, teachers and administrators Get the Lead Out of school drinking water.
The Baltimore Metropolitan Area, home to nearly 3 million people, experienced 43 days of elevated air pollution in 2020, according to a new report from Environment Maryland Research & Policy Center, Frontier Group and Maryland PIRG Foundation. Many metropolitan areas throughout Maryland faced similar levels of air pollution, increasing the risk of premature death, asthma attacks, cancer and other adverse health impacts.
Latest Reports
Tools & Resources
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SO YOU NEED HEALTH INSURANCE. NOW WHAT?
Read the Health Insurance 101 guide below, or download the PDF here.Maryland PIRG Foundation -
Open Letter to Subway
Phase out meats produced with routine use of antibiotics. -
Public Comments: Proposed Off-Gassing Regulation Changes
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What Stinks? Toxic Phthalates in your home
New data reveals widespread use of hormone-disrupting chemicals in cleaners, disinfectants, deodorizers, clothing, shoes, paints, and personal care products.A report from the Environmental Health Strategy Center & from Prevent Harm -
Resource Guide: 'Green' Cleaning Options for Baltimore
Half of Baltimore stores carry certified non-toxic products. Find out where!Maryland PIRG Foundation -
Save Antibiotics: Baltimore Restaurant Guide
Restaurants that serve meat without the routine use of human antibioticsMaryland PIRG Foundation
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