State ACA Marketplace guide · Plan year 2026 · Updated 2026-09-02
The Maryland ACA Marketplace: what it is, what plans cost, and who gets help
The ACA Marketplace (“Obamacare”) is where people who don’t get health insurance through a job or a government program buy their own plan. In Maryland that means Maryland Health Connection. Every plan sold there covers the same essential benefits, can’t turn you down or charge more for your health history, and — for most households under about $62,600 for one person or $128,600 for a family of four — comes with a tax credit that pays part of the premium.
How the Maryland marketplace works
Maryland runs its own marketplace, Maryland Health Connection, instead of HealthCare.gov. The federal rules for tax credits and the metal tiers (Bronze, Silver, Gold, Platinum) are the same; the website, the enrollment help, and sometimes the deadlines are Maryland’s own. Plan prices are published there rather than in the federal file this page draws on.
Medicaid: Maryland expanded Medicaid, so adults under 65 qualify on income alone: up to 138% of the poverty level, roughly $22,025 a year for one person or $45,540 for a family of four (2026 guidelines). If you are under that line, Medicaid — not a marketplace plan — is almost always the right answer, and you can apply any day of the year.
What it would cost you
Because Maryland runs its own marketplace, county-by-county 2026 prices live on Maryland Health Connection rather than in the federal plan file. We are adding state-marketplace data as each state publishes it. In the meantime the free comparison prices every plan type you qualify for — Marketplace tiers, Medicaid, employer coverage, and the rest — with Maryland’s subsidy and Medicaid rules applied.
Who gets help paying, and how much
For 2026 coverage the premium tax credit goes to households between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level who do not have an affordable offer of coverage from a job: $15,650–$62,600 a year for one person, $32,150–$128,600 for a family of four. The credit caps what you pay for the benchmark Silver plan at a percentage of your income (about 2% at the bottom of the range, just under 10% at the top), and you can spend it on any tier. The enhanced credits that removed the 400% cap expired after 2025, so households just over the line now pay full price — the “cliff.”
| Single person, age 40, earning | % of poverty level | Max you pay for benchmark Silver |
|---|---|---|
| $25,000/yr | 160% | $97/mo |
| $35,000/yr | 224% | $218/mo |
| $50,000/yr | 319% | $415/mo |
| $65,000/yr | 415% | No cap — full price |
Poverty level: 2025 HHS guidelines, which 2026 coverage is measured against. Applicable percentages: IRS Rev. Proc. 2025-25.
How to enroll in Maryland
Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage opens November 1, 2026 on Maryland Health Connection. State-run marketplaces set their own closing dates (most run into mid or late January) — confirm the deadline on Maryland Health Connection, and enroll by December 15 if you need coverage on January 1.
Outside that window you need a qualifying life event — losing other coverage, moving, marriage, a birth — which opens a 60-day special enrollment period. Medicaid and CHIP have no enrollment window at all. Before you sit down to enroll, have a household income estimate for next year, everyone’s dates of birth, and, if a job offers you coverage, what the cheapest employee-only plan there would cost you per month; that last number decides whether you can get a credit instead.
Common questions about the Maryland marketplace
Is the Maryland marketplace the same as Obamacare?
Yes. "Obamacare," "the ACA Marketplace," and "Maryland Health Connection" all refer to the same thing in Maryland: the place people who don't get insurance from a job or a government program buy their own coverage and receive premium tax credits.
How much does health insurance cost in Maryland in 2026?
Maryland sells its marketplace plans through Maryland Health Connection, which publishes its own prices. What you pay depends on your county, age, and income; households under 400% of the poverty level pay a capped share of income for the benchmark Silver plan and receive the rest as a tax credit.
Do I qualify for a subsidy in Maryland?
For 2026 coverage, premium tax credits go to households between 100% and 400% of the federal poverty level — $15,650 to $62,600 for one person, $32,150 to $128,600 for a family of four — who do not have an affordable offer of employer coverage. The enhanced credits that removed the 400% cap expired at the end of 2025.
Who qualifies for Medicaid in Maryland?
Maryland expanded Medicaid, so adults under 65 qualify on income alone: up to 138% of the poverty level, roughly $22,025 a year for one person or $45,540 for a family of four (2026 guidelines). If you are under that line, Medicaid — not a marketplace plan — is almost always the right answer, and you can apply any day of the year.
When is Open Enrollment in Maryland?
Open Enrollment for 2027 coverage opens November 1, 2026 on Maryland Health Connection. State-run marketplaces set their own closing dates (most run into mid or late January) — confirm the deadline on Maryland Health Connection, and enroll by December 15 if you need coverage on January 1.
Not sure the Marketplace is even your best option?
Five minutes, free, no account needed to start. Verd prices Marketplace tiers, Medicaid, employer coverage, and more against your actual situation — and tells you which one costs the least.
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