As fewer Marylanders qualify for federal tax breaks that used to keep health care costs down, state officials report that higher monthly premiums have led thousands to opt for lower-coverage healthcare plans than in previous years.
Approximately 8,000 Marylanders who previously selected gold plan coverage opted to take on a bronze plan this year, according to healthcare officials. That’s higher than the previous estimate initially reported to lawmakers in January of roughly 5,000 people downgrading their plans.
That said, overall enrollment since last year has not greatly changed, showing that people are willing to take on higher-risk plans if it means they can stay covered, said Johanna Fabian-Marks, deputy executive director for Maryland Health Benefit Exchange…