I can help you arrange a nationwide PPO privately in Maryland. Here's how Montgomery County agents, including those who regularly work across DC and Virginia, can compare private coverage with the plans offered through Maryland Health Connection.
Hi, I'm Sam Jaber. Maryland real estate agents can work with me over the phone to arrange health coverage. I'm a licensed broker serving 36 states.
Imagine a Silver Spring real estate agent licensed in Maryland, DC and Virginia, a fairly common arrangement around the Beltway. Her schedule takes her from a rambler listing in Wheaton to condo showings on 14th Street, then over to Arlington for a townhouse appointment. She's constantly following clients across jurisdictional boundaries. But her brokerage only pays commissions when sales close and doesn't provide health benefits. That leaves her shopping for her own insurance as a Maryland resident through Maryland Health Connection, where the overwhelming majority of available plans are HMOs.
In 2026, Montgomery County residents have 43 individual medical plans available through Maryland Health Connection, including 39 HMOs and 4 PPOs. One unusual feature of Maryland's marketplace is that premiums remain consistent across all four state rating areas. As a result, the PPO price difference is statewide. For a 40-year-old before subsidies, the lowest-priced silver PPO costs 64% more than the lowest-priced silver HMO. Compared with the least expensive silver HMO offered by the PPO insurer's own company, the difference is 48%.
There's also a private route. I can arrange a nationwide PPO in Maryland with a premium based on your health. Its network treats participating providers in DC and Virginia just as it does doctors in Bethesda, giving you coverage options across those locations.
Maryland Health Connection calculates premium tax credits using household income for the coverage year, with eligibility extending up to four times the federal poverty level. For agents, the relevant income reflects commissions after brokerage splits, desk fees, franchise charges, MLS dues, professional membership dues, license renewals across three jurisdictions, marketing and travel expenses between them. Maryland also expanded Medicaid. According to KFF, adults with income up to 138% of the poverty level can qualify.
Maryland's full marketplace premiums increased less sharply than those in many other states. KFF reports that the benchmark silver premium for a 40-year-old rose 13.4% between 2025 and 2026.
The premium tax credit is available only when you enroll through Maryland Health Connection. Because it's based on a benchmark silver plan, choosing a more expensive PPO doesn't increase the credit. You'd cover that 64% premium difference from your own earnings. For most agents qualifying for assistance, I'd first look for an HMO that includes their doctors. Around the Beltway, though, network boundaries deserve extra attention. HMOs generally cover out-of-network treatment only in emergencies, so check whether urgent care providers near your DC and Virginia properties participate.
Next step: Give me your doctors' names and last year's net income. I'll compare the Montgomery County HMOs that include them and show you premiums with your credit applied.
When your income exceeds the credit range, you're paying the entire premium. On Maryland Health Connection, the PPO is the most expensive option for maintaining a broad provider network. That's why healthy agents often consider private coverage. You'll answer medical questions, after which the insurer can approve you, decline you, or approve you while excluding a specified condition. Applicants in good health frequently find premiums below the marketplace's full price, with a network reaching all three jurisdictions where they sell and the rest of the country. We'll review each policy's benefits together before you decide.
Next step: Call me, and I'll put the price of a private nationwide PPO alongside Maryland Health Connection's full premiums for everyone in your household.
A slow housing market can change your annual income dramatically, especially when rates climb and buyers hold off. If your realistic earnings estimate falls near the poverty threshold, Maryland Medicaid may be the appropriate coverage for now. When sales recover and commissions return, report your increased income and transition back to a marketplace plan.
Next step: Before renewing coverage during a difficult sales year, give me a call. We'll review your household's actual income situation and determine which coverage category fits.
Maryland Health Connection accepts open enrollment applications from November 1 through January 15. If you enroll by December 31, your coverage can begin January 1.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
Yes. However, the lowest-priced silver PPO costs 64% more than the lowest-priced silver HMO, and that difference applies throughout Maryland.
Only when the doctor participates in your plan's provider network, unless the treatment involves an emergency.
Enroll no later than December 31. Open enrollment lasts from November 1 through January 15.
Yes. I can arrange private nationwide PPO coverage for Maryland agents who qualify based on their health.
Tell me your Maryland county, who needs to be insured, and approximately how much commission income you retained last year after brokerage splits and expenses. I'll compare Maryland Health Connection plans with a private nationwide PPO and explain which I'd choose for your household.
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