Maryland’s plan to save Obamacare from individual mandate repeal

Maryland is first out of the gate with a plan to replace the individual mandate — an early sign that the states that like Obamacare will be spending a lot of time thinking through what fits best into this gaping health policy hole that the Republican tax bill created.

The Maryland proposal would reinstate financial penalties for those who decide to go without health coverage. Maryland state Sen. Jim Rosapepe, one of the co-sponsors of the plan, tells me they’d like to set the fees similar to where they’ve been under the Affordable Care Act.