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​How Do Marylanders Experience High Costs? 

These rising costs show up in everyday ways, like larger out-of-pocket charges at the doctor's office or hospital, higher monthly premiums, or bigger bills at the pharmacy. This means everyday financial stress, difficult trade-offs, and financial uncertainty for Marylanders. 

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What's driving these High Costs?

Health care costs are rising largely because the prices charged for prescription drugs, hospital services, and doctors' visits continue to rise every year. These rising prices push up the overall cost of health insurance. As a result, premiums must rise to keep up with the increasing cost of care. For every dollar an individual spends on their health insurance premium, 71 cents goes to prescription drugs, hospital care, and doctors' services. The remaining 29 cents covers outpatient care, quality improvement, administrative expenses, among other things. ​