SB 428 prohibits the Maryland Department of Health and certain insurers from charging copays, coinsurance, or deductibles for services delivered under the Collaborative Care Model. This model integrates mental/behavioral health services with primary care in clinics serving Medicaid recipients (Maryland Medical Assistance Program). The law applies to all health insurance plans (including nonprofit plans and health maintenance organizations) covering these services, with one exception: high-deductible health plans may still require deductibles for these services. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, for new insurance policies and July 1, 2026, for the law itself.
SB 486 expands Maryland's Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program to include students at the University of Maryland Eastern Shore (UMES) in specific graduate programs. It adds UMES as an eligible institution for students enrolled in four programs: Master of Medical Science in Physician Assistant Studies, Doctor of Pharmacy, Doctor of Physical Therapy, and Doctor of Veterinary Medicine. This change directly affects UMES students in these fields who previously could not access the scholarship. The bill amends existing law to update the list of qualifying institutions without changing scholarship amounts ($1,000-$5,000 per year) or other program rules. The change takes effect July 1, 2026.
HB 684 requires health insurance companies to notify members 60 days in advance if a provider (including primary care or behavioral health providers) is removed from their network, unless termination relates to fraud, abuse, or licensure issues. It mandates that members affected by such changes receive a 90-day special enrollment period to continue seeing those providers, along with clear contact information for filing complaints. Insurance companies must also notify the Maryland Insurance Commissioner about network changes at least 60 days before termination and update their access plans within 5 business days of the change. This bill directly affects health insurance members who lose provider access and requires insurers to follow specific transparency and transition procedures.
HB 671 requires Maryland's Governor to allocate at least 3% of funds collected from a Medicaid quality assessment on qualifying nursing facilities (45+ beds operating in the state) to fund the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman starting in fiscal year 2027. This directly affects nursing facilities that pay the assessment and ensures dedicated, supplemental funding for the Ombudsman office, which advocates for residents' rights in long-term care settings. The bill updates existing law to mandate this specific allocation from the assessment pool, specifying that these funds must be "in addition to" and not replace existing Ombudsman funding. It does not change the assessment rate (capped at 6% of facility revenue) or the reporting requirements for the Department.
SB 340 requires the Governor to allocate at least 3% of funds collected from nursing facilities' Medicaid quality assessments toward the Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman's operations in the state budget. It directly affects nursing facilities with 45 or more beds operating in Maryland, which must pay the quality assessment. The bill mandates that these funds - collected quarterly based on non-Medicare patient days - must be used solely for the Ombudsman office, with no reduction to existing funding for this purpose. This creates a dedicated, ongoing funding source to support the Ombudsman's role in investigating resident complaints and advocating for long-term care rights.
This bill requires Maryland hospitals to screen patients in emergency departments for pregnancy-related medical emergencies. If a patient has such a condition, hospitals must stabilize it through appropriate treatment - including pregnancy termination when medically necessary - before transferring them, and cannot transfer unstable patients without following federal emergency transfer rules. It prohibits hospitals from retaliating against staff who refuse transfers of unstable patients or report violations, and imposes civil penalties (up to $50,000) for noncompliance. The law applies to all Maryland hospitals and aims to ensure timely, stable care for pregnant patients in medical crises.
This bill establishes the Maryland Advanced Manufacturing Grant Program within the Maryland Technology Development Corporation to support companies specializing in regenerative medicine and other advanced manufacturing sectors. The program will provide grants that recipients can use exclusively for acquiring or renovating manufacturing space, improving infrastructure, and purchasing necessary equipment. A dedicated fund will be created to hold grant money, with interest earnings credited back to the fund rather than the state's general fund. The Corporation will work with the Maryland Stem Cell Research Commission to set eligibility criteria, application procedures, and award amounts, with the program taking effect on July 1, 2026.
HB 1372 requires the Maryland Health Care Commission, working with the Office of Health Care Quality, to create a process for publishing health facility inspection data (including inspection dates, quality ratings, next inspection dates, and compliance statements) on a public website. It establishes the Maryland Department of Health Centralization Commission, composed of legislators, department officials, and health board leaders, to advise on improving efficiency between the Department and health occupations boards. The bill also mandates that all health occupations boards meet minimum cybersecurity standards set by the Secretary of Information Technology. These changes directly affect health care facilities subject to inspections, health occupations boards, and the Maryland Department of Health.
HB 1420 requires criminal history background checks for applicants and renewing licensees in specific healthcare professions, including nursing, dentistry, pharmacy, and others listed in the bill. Starting July 1, 2027, new applicants must submit fingerprints and pay fees to the state’s Central Repository for a criminal records check under new Section 1A-302.1. Existing licensees renewing after January 1, 2028, must also provide proof of a criminal check. The bill establishes standardized procedures for conducting these checks while ensuring confidentiality and allowing applicants to contest results.
HB 423 requires Prince George’s County public high schools to provide free drink spiking detection products (for GHB/ketamine) and fentanyl detection strips to all students starting the 2026-2027 school year. These products must be available at no cost in school health clinics or libraries. Each school must also report annually (by October 1) to Maryland’s Office of Overdose Response the quantity distributed during the prior school year. The bill applies exclusively to Prince George’s County schools and takes effect July 1, 2026.
