WMDT Salisbury
Rob Flaks
February 23, 2023
Excerpt:
MARYLAND- Young and healthy people enrolling in health care are key to keeping premiums down across the board, and lawmakers in Maryland are pushing to make a measure that did just that permanent.
The measure allowed for subsidies for those ages 18 to 34 applying to the Maryland health care exchange, giving discounts to roughly 40,000 Marylanders and getting an additional 17,000 to enroll in the program for the first time since it was introduced in 2020.
But that measure is set to expire at the end of the year 2023, but Healthcare advocates say making the program permanent can help prevent premiums from rising and keep that coverage accessible and affordable for young people.
“The more young people enroll in the program more federal money comes in and the lower everyone’s premiums are this is a tremendously good program it would be a tragedy to end it now and drops the subsidies for thousands of Marylanders we want it to move forward and continuing helping people,” Maryland Health Care for All! Coalition President Vinny DeMarco.
The hearing for the legislation is set for March 1st and will feature testimonials from those who have been able to receive medical coverage thanks to the subsidies offered by the expansion of the program.
Last modified: February 27, 2023
