Coronavirus Latest: Uninsured Marylanders Can Enroll In Health Coverage While Filing State Taxes Until July 15
BALTIMORE (WJZ) -- Uninsured Marylanders can enroll in health insurance through July 15, when they are filing their state income taxes.
The enrollment is being allowed by the Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program, a partnership between the Office of the Maryland Comptroller Peter Franchot and the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, which runs the Maryland Health Connection.
The date coincides with the new extended state income tax filing deadline of July 15 due to the coronavirus pandemic.
A new question on state tax forms 502 and 502b, ask tax filers if they want to share information including household size and income with the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to see if they are eligible for free or low-cost health insurance.
More than 35,000 households have checked the box since the program started this year, and after getting a notice from the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange, have 35 days from the date on the notice to enroll. So far, more than 1,600 have enrolled in health coverage, the state said Thursday.
About 95 percent of those have qualified for free or low-cost coverage, more than 40 percent of them are young adults between 18 and 34 years old- ten percent more than the typical for Maryland marketplace enrollments in recent years.
"Health coverage is on everyone's minds right now. We are glad more than 1,600 people have utilized the Maryland Easy Enrollment Health Insurance Program to obtain health insurance coverage. In light of the current extension, we're grateful to both the Comptroller and our carriers for keeping this enrollment period open so individuals and families can get the coverage they need," said Michele Eberle, executive director of Maryland Health Benefit Exchange.
For the latest information on coronavirus go to the Maryland Health Department's website or call 211. You can find all of WJZ's coverage on coronavirus in Maryland here.
