Who is leaving, what's left in your county, and what to do before the deadline. Last checked October 5, 2026.
No major insurer is leaving the Maryland marketplace for 2027.
In 2026, 4 companies sold Maryland marketplace plans: Anthem (Elevance), CareFirst, Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare.
Sam Jaber here. I help people choose individual health insurance over the phone, and Maryland is one of the 36 states where I'm licensed as a broker. The outlook is steady: I haven't found any insurer planning to exit Maryland Health Connection in 2027.
I reviewed the rate filings to confirm. Four insurers participated in Maryland's marketplace in 2026: Anthem, CareFirst, Kaiser Permanente and UnitedHealthcare. Each appears on the federal rate review site with a filing for 2027. Normally, a company preparing to withdraw wouldn't be on that list. So whether you live around Baltimore, Montgomery County, Hagerstown, Salisbury or Ocean City, you shouldn't have to switch insurers because of a company departure this year.
For some Maryland residents, last year was different. Aetna withdrew from the individual marketplace for 2026, forcing its members to choose other coverage last fall. If you were among them, review the plan you switched into carefully this year rather than assuming another automatic renewal is your best option.
Because Maryland operates its own marketplace, Maryland Health Connection handles your enrollment notices and deadlines instead of HealthCare.gov. Once its 2027 plans are published, review the choices closely. I'll update my review of this page then as well. Even a continuing plan can change provider networks, so verify your doctors and hospital individually and compare the premiums you'd actually pay after your credit.
Maryland has broad marketplace PPO access. CareFirst offered PPO coverage in every county and Baltimore City during 2026, and I haven't seen anything indicating that will change for 2027. Healthy residents paying full price should also consider a nationwide PPO. I can provide quotes in Maryland, with networks extending across state lines. That's useful for commuters to Washington or Northern Virginia and patients seeing specialists in Philadelphia or Delaware.
No Maryland county loses a marketplace insurer for 2027 from what I checked.
On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 24 of Maryland's 24 counties in 2026. They come from CareFirst.
You've probably seen a few other names mentioned in news coverage of this. Here's what their actual situations look like.
Your coverage doesn't end immediately just because the insurer is leaving. The existing policy continues through December 31, 2026, and you're entitled to written notice beforehand. Federal requirements call for at least 90 calendar days of notice when an insurer discontinues a plan, or at least 180 calendar days when it withdraws completely from a state's individual market. Haven't received anything yet? Contact your insurer and request the notice.
Here's where people often misunderstand the process. Under federal regulation 45 CFR 155.335, the marketplace may place you with another insurer when your current company has no remaining marketplace plan. That's permission, not a guarantee. State law and the regulator's instructions govern the transfer. Without specific direction, the marketplace chooses a "similar" plan. The regulation doesn't require anyone to verify that your doctors or medications are covered.
Purchased your coverage directly from the insurer rather than through the marketplace? Its automatic re-enrollment provisions don't apply to your policy. You'll have to select replacement coverage on your own.
In Maryland, coverage is sold through the state-operated Maryland Health Connection rather than HealthCare.gov. Enrollment for 2027 is open from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Your effective date depends on when you enroll, so look up the January 1 coverage deadline on Maryland Health Connection and act ahead of it. The exchange's renewal notice explains whether you'll be transferred to another plan if you don't make a selection.
You might still qualify to enroll after the regular window closes. HealthCare.gov recognizes discontinued coverage as a qualifying event, and federal regulations allow 60 days before and 60 days after your old plan's termination to select replacement coverage. I wouldn't rely on that as your first choice. Make sure you're eligible before planning around those dates.
The way I'd approach this depends on your particular situation and where things stand for you. Whichever route makes sense, the next step is the same: let's talk on the phone before the deadline.
If your income puts you outside the tax credit range, you're responsible for the entire marketplace premium, with your choices limited to the insurers serving your county. That's when I'd also consider private coverage. Medically underwritten plans use nationwide PPO networks, and their pricing reflects your health. Healthy applicants may pay less than the marketplace's unsubsidized rate. There are tradeoffs: insurers ask medical questions and can reject an application or exclude a preexisting condition. We'll review those details together before you decide.
Next step: Give me a call, and I'll compare a nationwide PPO quote for your household with the marketplace coverage offered in your Maryland county.
Regardless of which insurers remain on your county's marketplace, I can help you obtain a nationwide PPO in Maryland. On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 24 of Maryland's 24 counties in 2026. They come from CareFirst.
For healthy people paying the entire marketplace premium, it's worth comparing private, medically underwritten PPO coverage. These plans offer networks extending nationwide. I carry health insurance licenses in 36 states, including Maryland.
Straight answers, no sales pitch.
No major insurer is leaving the Maryland marketplace for 2027. Every company that sold Maryland marketplace plans in 2026 has a 2027 rate filing on the federal rate review site.
Possibly, but there's no guarantee. Federal rules permit the marketplace to assign a comparable plan from another insurer when state law and regulators allow it. HealthCare.gov specifically cautions that automatic re-enrollment isn't always available. And if your current coverage was purchased outside the marketplace, that process won't apply. My advice is to choose your replacement yourself.
The state marketplace in Maryland, called Maryland Health Connection, accepts 2027 enrollment from November 1, 2026 through January 15, 2027. Your enrollment date determines when coverage begins. Check Maryland Health Connection for the deadline to start January 1, and make your choice before the final week.
Yes. I can help you find a nationwide PPO available in Maryland. On the marketplace, PPO plans were sold in 24 of Maryland's 24 counties in 2026. They come from CareFirst.
Last checked October 5, 2026. I update this page when the 2027 plan list publishes in late October.
Call me with your county, the people who need coverage and the details of your notice. I'll compare the remaining Maryland marketplace plans with a nationwide PPO quote and help you decide before enrollment ends. I'm licensed in 36 states, and we can handle everything by phone.
Every state on the list, and guides for Maryland