Crawford Frazer

The end of 2010 saw what could be a substantial change in health insurance in Maryland -- but it wasn't created by any government legislation. In December, insurance broker Suzanne Thompson opened the Baltimore area's first insurance retail store. The startup, called HealthPlan Headquarters, will allow those shopping for health insurance to meet with consultants and try a variety of medical, dental, vision, long-term care or property and casualty policies on for size.

HealthPlan Headquarters isn't the only one-stop shop for insurance. Insurance companies also have opened retail and customer service centers. With the federal health insurance mandate scheduled to go into effect in 2014, more and more health insurance stores may pop up to help those who don't have job-related coverage understand their many (and confusing) options.

Places to shop

There are several local brick-and-mortar options for insurance shopping and consultations, where you can find a person to discuss health care plans with you, face to face.

  • HealthPlan Headquarters, located in the Baltimore's Belair Beltway Plaza shopping center, serves Maryland's insurance market. According to the business' website, visitors can sit down for one-on-one consultations with its "HPHQ Gurus," who are licensed insurance specialists. Health insurance plans available for sale in the store for individuals and families include HMOs, PPOs and health savings account compatible plans.
  • In Florida, residents of Miami, Jacksonville and Tampa no longer need to deal with a series of phone-button options to reach a real person. Florida Blue -- part of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Florida -- is a network of retail centers that helps people research doctors and hospitals, provides personal health assessments and even lets you discuss treatment options with a nurse.
  • Insurer Humana operates 18 guidance centers across the country in Illinois, Ohio, Texas, Missouri, Tennessee, Nevada, Arizona, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Florida. According to Humana, these centers allow customers to ask questions about their coverage and attend wellness activities focused on physical, social and mental health. They're open to all customers, although they have been especially popular among Medicare recipients, according to Humana.

The need to shop around

Why would you need retail assistance for buying insurance? Many people can simply sign up for coverage through their employers, yet some businesses are dropping their insurance plans.

In New York, for example, the proportion of workers insured through their employers has fallen by roughly 10 percent in the past decade, according to a study by the New York State Health Foundation. Moreover, employee contributions for family health care plans in New York have more than doubled, as have co-payments for non-preferred drugs. This could indicate that, in a tough economy, employers are shifting the burden of health coverage to workers.

Meanwhile, the self-employed, the unemployed and anyone else required to buy insurance under the 2014 mandate will swell the ranks of those looking for private insurance -- and could send more and more people to health insurance shops.