Updated May 2022
Can I be evicted in Maryland even if I can't pay my rent because of the COVID pandemic?
Are health insurance plans required to pay for the cost of at-home over-the-counter COVID tests?
Please note: The Attorney General's Office is the attorney for the state and its agencies and cannot offer legal advice to individuals. If you need help with a personal legal matter, you may want to contact a private attorney.
The Governor's Order prohibiting price gouging expired April 30, 2021. If you have concerns about price gouging, you should contact your state legislators.
Yes, a landlord can evict you for failure to pay your rent. However, eviction is a judicial process and a landlord cannot evict you without going to court.
There are no longer any state or federal protections in place to prevent evictions of residential tenants affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. If you are behind on rent or facing eviction from your home, it's extremely important that you seek help before simply moving out. There are resources available that may help you avoid eviction. Most of these resources, however, are available only while you are still living in your rental home. You can find a list of resources on our Residential Eviction Prevention webpage.
For more information about landlord and tenant laws and rights in Maryland, see the Consumer Protection Division's “Landlords and Tenants: Tips on Avoiding Disputes."
Please look at our employee FAQs here.
You should first contact your lender or servicer directly to let them know your situation. Most have information on their websites that provide guidance on what to do. In addition, some lenders are offering forbearance plans.
If you still encounter problems after contacting your lender, please contact the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (if your lender is a national bank) at 855-411-2372 to file a complaint. If your lender is a state or local bank, please contact the Division of Financial Regulation at 410-230-6077.
Generally, this is not a basis for breaking your lease. However, if there are special circumstances, you may file a complaint with our office and we will mediate to see if we can assist you. To submit a complaint on our website, use the Landlord/Tenant Complaint Form. You can also download a paper complaint form, including instructions for filing, here. Alternatively, you may send a letter describing your complaint, along with copies of relevant documentation to: Consumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202. Instead of mailing, you may fax this information to 410-576-7040. We are unable to accept complaints by email.
First, examine the terms of your travel agreement to see if it includes any language about what your responsibility is in a situation like this. If it doesn't say anything and you're not able to resolve the matter with the agency, you can file a complaint with our Consumer Protection Division; we may be able to mediate with the travel agency on your behalf.
To submit a complaint on our website, you can use the General Complaint Form. You can also download a paper complaint form, including instructions for filing, here. Alternatively, you may send a letter describing your complaint, along with copies of relevant documentation to: Consumer Protection Division, 200 St. Paul Place, Baltimore, MD 21202. Instead of mailing, you may fax this information to 410-576-7040. We are unable to accept complaints by email.
You can file a complaint with our Health Education and Advocacy Unit. They will investigate your complaint and may be able to mediate your coverage dispute with your HMO or health insurance company.
In most cases you should not have to pay out-of-pocket for diagnostic COVID testing. But neither federal nor state law requires coverage of COVID-19 testing for public health surveillance or employment purposes. You should contact your health plan prior to receiving a COVID-19 test to determine whether testing is covered by your plan in your particular circumstance, and where you should go for a test. Maryland Medicaid will cover the costs of COVID-19 testing for its beneficiaries.
You can file a complaint with our Health Education and Advocacy Unit if you are billed. They will investigate your complaint and may be able to mediate your billing or coverage dispute.
You should not have to pay out-of-pocket for a COVID vaccine. Providers can bill your health plan for the cost of the administration, and, if you are uninsured, the provider may seek payment from the federal Provider Relief Fund administered by the Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA).
Beginning January 15, 2022, during the federal state of emergency, most individuals with private health insurance coverage or covered by a group health plan who purchase an at-home over-the-counter COVID-19 diagnostic test authorized, cleared, or approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) will be able to have those test costs covered by their plan or insurance. Insurance companies and health plans are required to cover eight at-home over-the-counter tests per covered individual per month. That means a family of four, all on the same plan, would be able to get up to 32 of these tests covered by their health plan per month. There is no limit on the number of tests, including at-home tests, that are covered if ordered or administered by a health care provider following an individualized clinical assessment, including for those who may need them due to underlying medical conditions. At-home over-the-counter test purchases will be covered by private health insurance without the need for a health care provider's order or individualized clinical assessment, and without any cost-sharing requirements such as deductibles, co-payments, or coinsurance; prior authorization; or other medical management requirements.
The federal government is incentivizing insurers and group health plans to set up programs that allow people to get the over-the-counter tests directly through preferred pharmacies, retailers or other entities with no out-of-pocket costs. Insurers and plans would cover the costs upfront, eliminating the need for consumers to submit a claim for reimbursement.
When plans and insurers make tests available for upfront coverage through preferred pharmacies or retailers, they are still required to reimburse tests purchased by consumers outside of that network, at a rate of up to $12 per individual test (or the cost of the test, if less than $12). For example, if an individual has a plan that offers direct coverage through their preferred pharmacy, but that individual instead purchases tests elsewhere, the individual is only eligible to get reimbursement from their plan for up to $12 per individual test. Consumers can find out more information from their plans about how their plans or insurers will cover over-the-counter tests costs.
For additional information, please see these Frequently Asked Questions.
Medicaid and Children's Health Insurance Program (CHIP) are required to cover FDA-authorized at-home COVID-19 tests without cost-sharing. Medicaid and CHIP enrollees should contact their local health department for information about available free testing supplies and distribution locations.
Medicare pays for COVID-19 diagnostic tests performed by a laboratory, such as PCR and antigen tests, with no beneficiary cost sharing when the test is ordered by a physician, non-physician practitioner, pharmacist, or other authorized health care professional. People with Medicare can access one lab performed test without cost sharing per patient per year without an order. On April 4, 2022, Medicare announced that Medicare Part B and Medicare Advantage plans will cover Food and Drug Administration approved, authorized, or cleared over-the-counter COVID-19 tests at no cost to beneficiaries for the duration of the federal COVID-19 public health emergency. Medicare will cover up to eight free over-the-counter COVID test kits per month for beneficiaries through participating pharmacies and from Medicare-enrolled ambulatory care providers who provide COVID testing, COVID vaccine administration, and regular medical care services. Medicare will pay the participating eligible pharmacies and other healthcare providers directly to allow Medicare beneficiaries to receive over-the-counter tests at no cost. Some of the national pharmacy chains who are participating in this initiative include: Costco Pharmacy, CVS, Food Lion, Giant Food, Kroger Family of Pharmacies, Rite Aid Corp., Walgreens, and Walmart. Since additional eligible pharmacies and healthcare providers may also participate in this initiative, Medicare beneficiaries should check with their pharmacy or healthcare provider to find out whether they are participating. For more information about this initiative, visit https://www.medicare.gov/medicare-coronavirus#300.
Uninsured consumers should contact local health departments and community health centers about free over-the-counter tests, testing supply availability, and distribution locations.
Back to Top
1-888-373-7888
233733
