Health Insurance - Qualified Resident Enrollment Program (Access to Care Act)

This bill establishes the Qualified Resident Enrollment Program to help people in Maryland who currently lack access to affordable health insurance enroll in plans through the state health exchange. It defines "qualified residents" as individuals living in the state who are not eligible for existing federal or state assistance programs, regardless of their immigration status, and who are not incarcerated. The legislation allows the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange to hire third-party contractors to manage the program and requires that its implementation wait for approval of a specific federal waiver amendment. Additionally, the bill creates a dedicated fund to finance the program and mandates annual transfers of $15 million to support health equity resource communities.