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EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
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*hb0273*
HOUSE BILL 273
J5 6lr0034
(PRE–FILED) CF SB 14
By: Chair, Health Committee (By Request – Departmental – Maryland Insurance
Administration)
Requested: September 16, 2025
Introduced and read first time: January 14, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 10, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Health Insurance – Small Business Health Options Program (SHOP) Enrollment 2
– Effective Dates 3
FOR the purpose of altering the effective dates of enrollment in a Small Business Health 4
Options Program (SHOP) Exchange plan for individuals who enroll during certain 5
special enrollment periods; and generally relating to the Small Business Health 6
Options Program (SHOP) enrollment. 7
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 8
Article – Insurance 9
Section 15–1208.1(c) 10
Annotated Code of Maryland 11
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 12
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 13
Article – Insurance 14
Section 15–1208.1(f)(1)(v) and (g) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
2 HOUSE BILL 273
Article – Insurance 1
15–1208.1. 2
(c) All small employer health benefit plans shall provide a special enrollment 3
period during which the following individuals may be enrolled under the health benefit 4
plan: 5
(1) an individual w ho becomes a dependent of the eligible employee 6
through marriage, birth, adoption, placement for adoption, or placement for foster care; 7
(2) an eligible employee who acquires a new dependent through marriage, 8
birth, adoption, placement for adoption, pla cement for foster care, or through a child 9
support order or other court order; 10
(3) the spouse of an eligible employee at the birth or adoption of a child, 11
placement of a child for foster care, or through a child support order or other court order, 12
provided the spouse is otherwise eligible for coverage; 13
(4) at the option of the SHOP Exchange, an enrollee who is the eligible 14
employee or the spouse of the eligible employee, if: 15
(i) the enrollee loses a dependent or is no longer considered to be a 16
dependent due to divorce or legal separation; or 17
(ii) the employee or the employee’s dependent dies; and 18
(5) (i) an eligible employee who becomes pregnant, as confirmed by a 19
health care practitioner; and 20
(ii) an eligible employee’s spouse or depend ent who becomes 21
pregnant, as confirmed by a health care practitioner, provided the spouse or dependent is 22
otherwise eligible for coverage. 23
(f) (1) If an eligible employee enrolls any of the individuals described in 24
subsection (c)(1) through (4) of this section during the first 31 days of the special enrollment 25
period, the coverage shall become effective as follows: 26
(v) in the case of a dependent added due to a child support order or 27
any other court order: 28
1. the date the child support order or other court order is 29
effective; or 30
2. for SHOP Exchange plans, if ALLOWED BY the SHOP 31
Exchange [permits] AND SELECTED BY the eligible employee [to select an effective date 32
based on the date the plan selection is received by the SHOP Exchange: 33
HOUSE BILL 273 3
A.], the first day of the month following receipt of the plan 1
selection[, if the plan selection is received between the first and fifteenth day, inclusive, of 2
the month; and 3
B. the first day of the second month following receipt of the 4
plan selection, if the plan selection is received between the sixteenth and the last day, 5
inclusive, of the month]. 6
(g) If the SHOP Exchange [permits] ALLOWS the special enrollment periods 7
described in subsection (c)(4) of this section, the coverage shall become effective as follows: 8
(1) for special enrollment periods in the SHOP Exchange due to death of 9
the employee or dependent[: 10
(i)], the first day of the month following plan selection; [or 11
(ii) if the SHOP Exchange permits the eligible employee to select an 12
effective date based on the date the plan selection is received by the SHOP Exchange: 13
1. the first day of the month following receipt of the plan 14
selection, if the plan selection is received between the first and fifteenth day, inclusive, of 15
the month; and 16
2. the first day of the second month following receipt of the 17
plan selection, if the plan selection is received between the sixteenth and the last day, 18
inclusive, of the month;] and 19
(2) for special enrollment periods in the SHOP Exchange due to divorce or 20
legal separation, [if the plan selection is received by the SHOP Exchange: 21
(i) between the first and fifteenth day, inclusive, of the month,] the 22
first day of the month following receipt of the plan selection[; and 23
(ii) between the sixteenth and the last day, inclusive, of the month, 24
the first day of the second month following receipt of the plan selection]. 25
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
October 1, 2026. 27