Small Business Health Coverage Options

Maryland Health Connection for Small Business helps small businesses and nonprofit organizations provide health insurance coverage to their employees. You can sign up any time of year.

Maryland Health Connection for Small Business is the only place where small businesses may enroll to qualify for a health care tax credit from the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) to help pay for the cost of coverage for employees.

Is Maryland Health Connection for Small Business right for me?

Eligible employers would qualify for these benefits:

• Tax credits to help pay your share of employee premium costs.
• Peace of mind knowing all plans have been certified by Maryland Health Connection and cover essential health benefits.
• Flexibility in contributing to your employee’s premiums, through fixed percent or fixed dollar contributions.
• Versatility of providing coverage options from multiple insurance companies.

Is my business eligible?

To be eligible to participate, you must:

• Have a principal business address within Maryland, or you can offer coverage to each eligible employee through the marketplace serving that employee’s primary worksite.
• Have at least one common-law employee on payroll, not including a business owner, sole proprietor or spouse.
• Employ 50 or fewer full-time equivalent employees (FTEs), including part-time employees.
• Offer coverage to all full-time employees.
• Maryland Health Connection will review the application to confirm that the employer meets these eligibility requirements and will provide a notice of the eligibility determination.

Does my business qualify for a tax credit to lower the cost of coverage?

The Small Business Health Care Tax Credit is available for plans purchased through the Maryland Health Connection and may be claimed for any two consecutive years.

Up to 50 percent of your contribution to employee premiums (or 35 percent for a tax-exempt small employer) may be covered by the tax credit. Tax-credit eligibility is determined by the IRS.

See if your business qualifies.

Learn more about the tax credit.

What are the enrollment options for my employees?

Employer Choice: You select one insurance company that offers coverage, and employees may choose any plan from any metal level that insurance company offers.

Employee Choice: You select up to two consecutive metal levels of coverage, and employees may choose any plan across all the insurance companies that offer plans at those metal levels.