If you have employer coverage, you can purchase a private health plan through Maryland Health Connection. You will only be eligible for financial assistance to lower the cost of coverage if your employer coverage is considered to be unaffordable or if it does not meet some basic standards, known as providing minimum value.

Employer coverage is considered affordable if the cost you pay annually for coverage is no greater than 8.39 percent of annual household income.

• If you’re the employee, affordability is based on only the premium you’d pay for individual coverage.
• If you’re offered job-based coverage through a household member’s job, for example, your spouse or parent, affordability is based on the premium cost to cover everyone in the household.
• If employer coverage is not considered affordable for the employee and the household, everyone in the household may qualify for savings on a Maryland Health Connection plan. But, if the employer coverage is considered affordable for the employee, but not for other members of the household, then only the other household members may qualify for savings

Employer coverage provides minimum value if it covers 60 percent of health care costs on average. Your employer should be able to tell you if your plan meets this standard.

Use this employer tool worksheet to help you gather information about employers that offer traditional health coverage to anyone on your Maryland Health Connection application.