Due to increased medical costs, rising malpractice insurance rates, and increased longevity rates, health insurance premiums have doubled in the last few years. But you can still get a cheap rate on Maryland health insurance if you know how.

Government Health Insurance Programs

Maryland offers a number of government sponsored health insurance programs. Depending on your level of eligibility, these programs are either very cheap or cost nothing at all. These programs include:

* Maryland's Medical Assistance Program (Medicaid) for low-income families, children, pregnant women, women with breast or cervical cancer, the elderly, and people who are blind or disabled.

* Maryland's Children's Health Program (MCHP) for uninsured children under the age of 19 whose family's income is less than 200% of the federal poverty level.

* Maryland's Children's Health Program Premium (MCHP) for uninsured children under the age of 19 whose family's income is more than 200% but less than 300% of the federal poverty level.

* Maryland's Primary Adult Care Program (PAC) for low-income individuals, 19 or older, who are not on Medicare and who don't qualify for Medicaid.

*Maryland's Family Planning Program for women who have lost their Medicaid coverage after being covered for a pregnancy under MCHP.

To find out if you're eligible for any of these programs go to the Maryland Department of Health website - dhmh.state.md.us - click on "Health Care Programs," then click on "Medicaid and Health Insurance Programs."

Private Health Insurance Programs

If you're not eligible for any of Maryland's state health insurance programs, you can still get inexpensive health insurance through a private carrier.

With private health insurance you have two basic types of plans - indemnity plans and managed health care plans. Indemnity plans let you choose your own doctors and hospitals, but they are much more expensive than managed health care plans. Managed health care plans assign you to a network of doctors and hospitals you must use for your medical needs, and are the cheapest health care plans.

Inexpensive Health Care Plans

To get the best rate on a health insurance plan you have to compare rates from a number of different insurance companies. Thanks to the Internet and the advent of insurance comparison websites, it only takes a few minutes to get health insurance quotes you can compare in order to get a cheap rate.