Maryland Health Connection Open Enrollment Dates
Maryland operates its own health insurance exchange — Maryland Health Connection (MarylandHealthConnection.gov). The state sets its own open enrollment window each year.
Important notes for Maryland enrollees:
Auto-renewal: If you're already enrolled through Maryland Health Connection and don't make changes during open enrollment, your plan will auto-renew for the next year. However, premiums, networks, and formularies change annually — review your plan even if you plan to stay.
Plan changes: Open enrollment is the one time each year you can switch plans, add or drop coverage, or change carriers without a qualifying life event.
New enrollees: If you've never enrolled, you must sign up during open enrollment to get coverage starting January 1.
Can You Enroll Outside of Open Enrollment in Maryland?
Yes — if you experience a qualifying life event (QLE), you can enroll through Maryland Health Connection outside of open enrollment:
Job loss or loss of employer coverage
Marriage or divorce
Birth or adoption of a child
Moving to a new county or state
Loss of Medicaid/CHIP coverage (including Medicaid redetermination — this has been a significant source of special enrollment periods in Maryland following post-COVID Medicaid unwinding)
Turning 26 and aging off a parent's plan
ICHRA-specific: Being newly offered or losing an ICHRA triggers a special enrollment period
For ICHRA employers: When you first offer ICHRA, all eligible employees get a special enrollment period to purchase individual coverage — even outside of open enrollment. This means you can launch ICHRA any time of year, not just during OE.
Open Enrollment for Maryland ICHRA Employers
For employers offering ICHRA in Maryland, open enrollment works differently than with a group plan:
No carrier negotiations: You're not renewing a group plan or shopping for new quotes. Your ICHRA employee health budget stays in place year-round.
Employee responsibility: Each employee reviews their own plan options on Maryland Health Connection or the open market. They can switch carriers, change plan tiers, or keep their current plan.
Employer's role during OE: Review your employee health budget amounts (adjust if needed), communicate the OE window to employees, and ensure new hires know how to enroll.
Thatch handles the rest: The platform sends OE reminders, tracks enrollment status, and manages reimbursements — regardless of which carrier or plan each employee selects.
Off-exchange consideration: Employees using off-exchange plans (UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, etc.) may have different renewal dates than the Maryland Health Connection OE window. Thatch tracks both on- and off-exchange plan schedules.
FAQs
When does open enrollment start for Maryland Health Connection?
Maryland Health Connection sets its own open enrollment dates each year. Check MarylandHealthConnection.gov for the confirmed window. Dates are typically announced in September.
What happens if I miss open enrollment in Maryland?
If you miss open enrollment, you'll need a qualifying life event (job loss, marriage, birth, Medicaid loss, etc.) to enroll through a special enrollment period. ICHRA employers: if you offer ICHRA for the first time, employees get a special enrollment period regardless of the calendar.
Do I need to re-enroll every year on Maryland Health Connection?
No — existing enrollees are auto-renewed. However, you should review your plan during open enrollment because premiums, networks, and drug formularies change annually. You may find a better-value plan with a different carrier.
Can I buy health insurance off-exchange in Maryland?
Yes. You can purchase individual plans directly from carriers like UnitedHealthcare, Cigna, and Aetna that don't participate in Maryland Health Connection. Off-exchange plans are ICHRA-eligible. The trade-off: you can't receive ACA premium tax credits on off-exchange plans (though ICHRA employees with an affordable ICHRA offer typically don't qualify for credits anyway).
Can my employer start ICHRA outside of open enrollment?
Yes. Employers can launch ICHRA at any time. All eligible employees receive a special enrollment period to purchase individual coverage, even if Maryland Health Connection's standard open enrollment has closed.
What is Medicaid redetermination and how does it affect Maryland open enrollment?
Following the end of COVID-era continuous Medicaid enrollment, Maryland has been redetermining Medicaid eligibility for all enrollees. Those who lose Medicaid qualify for a special enrollment period on Maryland Health Connection. ICHRA employers with lower-wage workers should be aware that some employees may transition from Medicaid to ICHRA-funded individual coverage.
Don't wait for open enrollment to offer ICHRA in Maryland.
Thatch lets you launch ICHRA any time — employees get a special enrollment period to choose their own plans.
