Maryland Resources

The following is a selection of Maryland-based resources for information on where to find health insurance and learn more about health reform efforts in our state:

• Maryland Health Insurance Plan - an insurance plan for residents who are unable to obtain health insurance through other sources.
• Office of Health Education and Advocacy - a unit of the Maryland Attorney General's Consumer Protection Division that helps consumers whose health plan has refused to cover a medical procedure or to pay for a medical service that has already been provided.
• Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council - advises the O'Malley Administration on policies and procedures to implement the recent and future federal health reform as efficiently and effectively as possible.
• Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Board - a public corporation and independent unit of State government.
• Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene 
  • Health Care Services
  • Maryland Children’s Health Program (MCHIP) - provides full health benefits for children up to age 19 and pregnant women of any age who meet certain income guidelines.
  • Office of Minority Health and Health Disparities - works to eliminate health disparities among ethnic and racial populations.
  • Directory of Local Health Departments - provides contact ifnromation for your county's health department.
• Maryland Insurance Administration - an independent state agency that regulates Maryland's insurance industry and protects consumers by ensuring that insurance companies and health plans act in accordance with insurance laws.
• Maryland Senior Prescription Drug Assistance Program

National Resources

• The Center for Children and Families - an independent, nonpartisan policy and research center out of Georgetown University whose mission is to expand and improve health coverage for America's children and families.
• State Resource Center - provides state resources and tools to assist in advancing health coverage for children and families.
• Commonwealth Fund  - a private foundation that aims to promote a high performing health care system that achieves better access, improved quality, and greater efficiency, particularly for society's most vulnerable.
• HealthCare.gov - a one-stop federal website providing health care reform information managed by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
• Stand Up for Health Care - a project of Families USA, a national nonprofit, non-partisan organization dedicated to the achievement of high-quality, affordable health care for all Americans.
• Center for Consumer Information and Insurance Oversight - charged with overseeing the implementation of the Affordable Care Act provisions related to private health insurance.
• Families USA, Heath Care Reform Central     
• Kaiser Health News - provides coverage of health care policy and politics.  
• Medicare.gov
• National Academy for State Health Policy - an independent academy of state health policymakers. We are dedicated to helping states achieve excellence in health policy and practice.
• National Association of Insurance Commissioners - the U.S. standard-setting and regulatory support organization created and governed by the chief insurance regulators from the 50 states, the District of Columbia and five U.S. territories.
• National Conference of State Legislators - a bipartisan organization that serves the legislators and staffs of the nation's 50 states, its commonwealths and territories.
  • Health Issues and Research
  • Federal Reform Implementation
  • Health Reform – What Legislators Need to Know Webinars
• National Partnership for Women and Families - promotes fairness in the workplace, reproductive health and rights, access to quality affordable health care, and policies that help women and men meet the dual demands of work and family.
• National Women’s Law Center - works to champion laws and policy that work for women and families.
• Raising Women’s Voices for the Health Care We Need - a national initiative working to make sure women’s voices are heard and women’s concerns are addressed as policymakers put the new health reform law into action. 
  • RWV Blog
• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation - nation's largest philanthropy devoted solely to improving the health and health care of all Americans.
• Universal Health Care Action Network - builds, strengthens and connects organizations and coalitions in states and nationally working for affordable, quality health care for all.
• UMD Public Policy Blog