As counties prepare for Maryland’s new paid family and medical leave program, a recent webinar hosted by Bolton is updating local governments on private-plan coverage and helping public employers navigate upcoming decisions.

The MACo, MABE, MML Time to Care Act (TCA) Collaborative recently provided an update on its private-plan process, including changes in the insurance market and upcoming deadlines for local governments.

As previously covered by MACo, in 2023, MACo joined with the Maryland Association of Boards of Education (MABE) and the Maryland Municipal League (MML) to develop a collaborative joint venture to streamline the offering of qualified family leave benefits on behalf of interested member jurisdictions. Bolton is the collaborative’s program administrator.

Bolton updated local government employers that while carriers are interested in providing FAMLI private-plan coverage, carriers are not currently offering a single, uniform rate for the Collaborative as a whole. Instead, carriers are expected to evaluate and price each participating employer individually. Many carriers are also expected to require underlying coverage, such as life, disability, or dental insurance.

The shift reflects broader changes in the private paid-leave insurance market, where carriers have experienced significant losses in other states and have tightened underwriting requirements. Bolton and the Collaborative will continue working with carriers to develop employer-specific pricing.

Key Dates for Counties

For counties considering a private plan, the immediate priority is to register with FAMLI as an employer  and prepare for the September 1 through November 15, 2026 Declaration of Intent (DOI) application deadline. Each county must submit its own DOI, even if participating in the TCA Collaborative.

The State Plan contribution period begins January 1, 2027, with a 2027 contribution rate of 0.9%. FAMLI benefits are scheduled to begin in January 2028. Employers pursuing a private plan will have until October 1, 2027, to submit their private-plan application.

For counties interested in the private-plan option, now is the time to register with FAMLI, complete the required private-plan consultation, and prepare for the DOI submission window. The Collaborative will continue evaluating the market and providing counties with additional pricing and coverage information as it becomes available.

Please feel free to email Karrington Anderson at Kanderson@mdcounties.org for the PowerPoint presentation or Zoom recording.

Stay tuned to the Conduit Street for more information.