Cheapest ACA plans in Maryland for 2026

Cheapest plans by metal tier

Lowest 2026 monthly premium for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, on-exchange, before any subsidy. Per-age figures derived from the CMS QHP Landscape file using the HHS standardized age-rating curve (45 CFR 147.102).

The actual cheapest plan in major counties

Same data the search returns: carrier, plan name, monthly premium, individual deductible, individual MOOP. Computed for a single 40-year-old non-tobacco user, before any subsidy. Catastrophic plans excluded because adults 30+ typically need a hardship-exemption certificate to enroll.

The actual cheapest plan for a family of four

Two 40-year-old adults and two kids in the 0-14 age band, before any subsidy. Carrier, plan name, premium, deductible, and MOOP exactly as the search would return them.

Subsidies stack: federal APTC + Maryland Premium Assistance

Three price-reduction layers apply on Maryland Health Connection for PY2026:

1. Federal Advance Premium Tax Credit (APTC). Households 100-400% FPL, standard ACA contribution curve with a hard 400% FPL cliff (the ARPA / IRA enhanced subsidies expired 2025-12-31 and are not in effect for 2026).
2. Young Adult Subsidy (YAS), now permanent. Ages 18-37, 138-400% FPL. Reduces the ACA applicable percentage by ~2.5 percentage points for ages 18-33, phasing out 0.5pp per year through age 37 (Md. Insurance Article § 31-122). Average enrollee saves ~$40/month.
3. Expanded State Premium Assistance (all ages, new for PY2026). Up to 400% FPL. For households at or below 200% FPL, the state backfills roughly 100% of the lost federal enhanced subsidies. For 200-400% FPL, ~50%. Above 400% FPL, no state assistance.

Separately, the State Reinsurance Program (§1332 waiver through PY2028) pays carriers 80% of individual-enrollee claims between $24,000 and $250,000 in 2026, pushing posted premiums ~34% below what they would be otherwise. You don't apply for it — every quoted premium on MHC is already net of reinsurance.

Easy Enrollment: sign up by checking a box on your tax return

Maryland pioneered tax-time enrollment in 2019 and it remains the template other states copy. When you file your Maryland state return (Form 502 / 502B), check the Easy Enrollment box to authorize the Comptroller to share your household size and MAGI with MHC. MHC mails you a letter describing what you qualify for (HUSKY Medicaid, MCHP, or subsidized QHP) and opens a 35-day Special Enrollment Period for you to pick a plan. Works only for on-time (by April 15) returns, not late or amended filings.

Catastrophic plans in Maryland

Substantive Catastrophic-plan eligibility follows federal ACA rules: under age 30 at the start of the plan year, or any age with a hardship / affordability exemption. The PY2026 federal hardship expansion automatically extends eligibility to consumers with projected income below 100% FPL or above 400% FPL. PY2026 Catastrophic deductible equals the ACA out-of-pocket maximum of $10,600.

Procedurally, Maryland is one of the few SBEs (with CA, CT, DC) that processes its own hardship-exemption applications instead of deferring to the federal marketplace. Standards are federal; adjudication is state.

No tobacco surcharge in practice in Maryland

Maryland law does not explicitly prohibit tobacco rating, so the federal ceiling of up to 1.5x applies by default. In practice, Maryland Health Connection's enrollment platform does not collect tobacco-use status, and no carrier has filed an MIA rate with a tobacco factor for the individual on-exchange market. A smoker and a non-smoker with the same ZIP, age, and plan pay the same premium. This is de facto rather than statutory, so the technical distinction from states with an explicit ban (CA, NJ, NY, MA, RI, VT, DC) matters for policy but not for your bill.

Carriers selling 2026 plans in Maryland

4 carriers, 1,560 plans across 24 counties. 1,032 sold on Maryland Health Connection, 528 off-exchange-only direct from carriers. Off-exchange plans aren't eligible for federal APTC or Maryland Premium Assistance. Carriers include CareFirst BlueCross BlueShield, Kaiser Permanente, UnitedHealthcare, and Wellpoint/Anthem variants.

Enrollment

Open Enrollment for 2026 coverage ran November 1, 2025 through January 15, 2026. Plans selected by December 31, 2025 were effective January 1, 2026; plans selected January 1 through January 15 were effective February 1. Special Enrollment is available year-round for qualifying life events; Easy Enrollment can trigger a 35-day SEP if you check the box on a timely Maryland tax return.

Direct enrollment: marylandhealthconnection.gov.

Frequently asked questions