Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 555: Health - Dementia Services and Brain Health Program and Provider Resource Toolkit

SB 555 establishes the Dementia Services and Brain Health Program within the Maryland Department of Health to lead state public health efforts for brain health and dementia care. The bill shifts responsibilities from a "Director" position to this new Program, requiring it to staff the Virginia I. Jones Alzheimer’s Council, oversee implementation of the State Plan on dementia, and develop a clinical toolkit for healthcare providers. The toolkit will provide evidence-based guidance to help providers deliver person-centered dementia care across medical settings. This bill directly affects Maryland residents living with dementia or at risk, healthcare providers who will use the toolkit, and the Council’s operations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes Dementia Services Program to develop clinical toolkit for providers, advancing dementia care and brain health services within public health framework.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 792: Hospitals - Immigration Enforcement Action - Policy Requirement

SB 792 requires the State Health Services Cost Review Commission to create and publish a model policy for hospitals regarding immigration enforcement actions. It also mandates that certain hospitals in Maryland develop their own policies based on this model. The bill amends specific sections of Maryland's health code to implement these requirements, focusing on standardizing how hospitals address immigration enforcement within their facilities. This directly affects designated hospitals by making written policies on immigration enforcement a formal requirement.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires hospitals to develop policies protecting patients from immigration enforcement during care, directly safeguarding patient access and rights within healthcare facilities.90% confidence ✓ ImmigrationSupports ImmigrationMandates hospitals to develop policies limiting cooperation with federal immigration enforcement, protecting immigrant patients within healthcare settings.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 742: Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Developmental Disabilities Administration - Home- and Community-Based Services Eligibility Determinations (Maryland Protecting People With Disabilities Act)

SB 742, the "Maryland Protecting People With Disabilities Act," modifies Maryland’s Medicaid eligibility processes to better protect individuals with disabilities who receive home- and community-based services. It extends the appeal timeframe for those losing eligibility and requires services to continue uninterrupted during appeals, preventing administrative errors from causing abrupt service loss. The bill prohibits "procedural disenrollment" (terminating coverage due to renewal process issues) and mandates the Department of Health to reserve waiver slots for people who lost eligibility unfairly. These changes align with the Olmstead decision, ensuring individuals can remain in community settings without unnecessary bureaucratic barriers. The bill directly affects Maryland Medicaid recipients with disabilities who rely on home- and community-based services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends Medicaid appeal timelines and prevents service disruption for disability beneficiaries, ensuring continuous healthcare access under Medicaid eligibility rules.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1284: Residential Service Agencies - Private Duty Nursing - On-Site Nurse Training Programs

HB 1284 allows residential service agencies providing private duty nursing to hire licensed nurses who lack full clinical experience requirements, under specific conditions. Agencies must provide approved on-site training programs, ensure clinical supervision by a qualified registered nurse, and conduct documented competency evaluations for these nurses. The bill requires agencies to maintain records of training completion and annual or disciplinary competency assessments. This directly affects private duty nursing agencies and nurses who may not meet standard clinical experience thresholds, while maintaining existing licensing and scope-of-practice standards.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables residential agencies to hire less-experienced nurses with mandatory training/supervision, expanding access to private duty nursing services while maintaining quality standards.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1377: Prescription Drug Repository Program - Redirecting Safe Prescription Drugs Pilot Program

HB 1377 establishes a 18-month pilot program to redirect unused, unopened prescription drugs to a state repository program. It requires participating pharmacies (repositories) to collect eligible medications during National Prescription Drug Take Back Days, package them properly, and transfer them to designated drop-off sites for distribution to eligible patients - while sending controlled substances directly to the DEA. The program aims to expand medication access for underserved communities, reduce pharmaceutical waste, and ensure drug safety through collaboration between Maryland’s Secretary of Health and the federal DEA. The pilot runs from July 2026 through December 2027, with mandatory reporting on collected medications by October 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRedirects unused prescriptions to underserved communities, improving medication access without restricting coverage or funding.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1376: Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children's Health Program, and Health Insurance - Transfers to Special Pediatric Hospitals - Requirements

HB 1376 requires Maryland's Medicaid (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and Children's Health Program to provide a review within 3 business days for transfer requests to special pediatric hospitals when requested by the hospital or referring provider. It mandates retrospective reviews if a transfer is denied as "not medically necessary," with providers reimbursed for "administrative days" (days a patient remains without transfer) during the review process. The bill directly affects special pediatric hospitals - facilities serving children under 22 or those 2+ years old with co-occurring physical/behavioral health conditions - and their referring providers. Key provisions include eliminating prior authorization requirements for transfers while establishing strict timelines and reimbursement for administrative delays during appeals. This bill updates existing Medicaid and insurance rules to streamline transfers to specialized pediatric care facilities.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates timely reviews and reimbursement for delays in pediatric hospital transfers within Medicaid programs, improving access to specialized care and protecting patient rights.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate Apr 28, 2026

SB 772: Maryland Department of Health - Employment Training and Opportunity Database

SB 772 requires the Maryland Department of Health to create and maintain a public database of employment training and job placement programs. The database will help residents find opportunities that can lead to eligibility for Medicaid (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) and SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), including program details, application steps, and direct contact options. The Department must update the database every 30 days and assist individuals in enrolling in listed programs. Other state agencies, including the Department of Labor and Department of Human Services, must recommend programs for inclusion. This bill directly affects Maryland residents seeking to improve employment prospects while maintaining access to critical health and nutrition benefits.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareCreates database connecting job training to Medicaid/SNAP eligibility, improving access to healthcare coverage programs by streamlining enrollment pathways.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentCreates database linking job training programs to Medicaid/SNAP eligibility, enhancing access to employment resources and benefits under Labor & Employment standards.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1563: Emergency Room Services and Post-Acute Care - Coverage and Facility Studies

This bill prohibits insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations from denying emergency room coverage solely because a patient did not experience a diagnosed emergency medical condition. It requires two key studies: one to quantify hospital and post-acute care bed capacity across Maryland, and another to identify ways to improve transitions from emergency to post-acute care settings. These provisions directly affect patients receiving emergency care and healthcare providers treating them, ensuring coverage isn't denied based on diagnosis alone. The studies aim to inform data-driven recommendations for future policy improvements in emergency and post-acute care access.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareProhibits insurers from denying ER coverage and mandates studies to improve care transitions, directly protecting patient access and enhancing service quality.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 1181: Family Law - Children in Out-of-Home Placement - Voluntary Placement Agreements

HB 1181 amends Maryland's Family Law to streamline voluntary placement agreements for children with developmental disabilities or mental illnesses in out-of-home care. The bill requires local departments to schedule an assessment meeting with families and providers within 5 business days of receiving a request, and issue a written eligibility decision within another 5 business days. It clarifies that local departments cannot seek legal custody solely to obtain treatment for these children, while allowing placements to exceed 180 days if a juvenile court finds continued placement is in the child's best interest. These changes aim to reduce current delays (often 60-90 days) that contribute to extended hospital stays and family distress.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareStreamlines mental health access for children with disabilities by requiring timely assessments and preventing custody barriers for treatment.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 878: Workers' Compensation - Heart Disease and Hypertension Presumption and Permanent Partial Disability - Carroll County Correctional Deputies

HB 878 extends Maryland's workers' compensation presumption for heart disease and hypertension to Carroll County correctional deputies. It adds "Carroll County Correctional Deputy" to the list of public safety employees eligible for this presumption, meaning they can automatically qualify for benefits if these conditions result in partial disability or death while on duty. The bill requires deputies to undergo a pre-employment medical exam to establish any pre-existing heart conditions, and benefits only apply if the condition is more severe than prior to their employment. This change modifies specific sections of Maryland's workers' compensation law to apply these provisions exclusively to Carroll County correctional deputies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExtends automatic workers' comp benefits for heart disease/hypertension to correctional deputies, ensuring healthcare coverage access for work-related conditions without proving causation.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentExtends automatic workers' comp benefits for heart disease/hypertension to correctional deputies, strengthening workplace injury protections for public safety workers.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare