Healthcare

died · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 20, 2026

HB 1384: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - State Pharmacy Benefits Manager

HB 1384 requires Maryland’s Department of Health to select and contract with a single State Pharmacy Benefits Manager (SPBM) by July 1, 2028. This SPBM will administer pharmacy benefits for all Medicaid recipients, including those enrolled in managed care plans, which must contract with and use the SPBM for all pharmacy services after that date. The bill prohibits "spread pricing" (where managers profit from price differences between pharmacies and the program) and mandates transparent pricing for drug costs, rebates, and fees. It directly affects Medicaid beneficiaries, managed care organizations, and pharmacies by centralizing pharmacy benefit management under state oversight.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires single SPBM for Medicaid pharmacy benefits, bans spread pricing to ensure cost efficiency and transparency, strengthening program access and affordability for beneficiaries.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Medicaid Prescription Drugs

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 3, 2026

HB 1531: Maryland Helping Everyone Afford Life-Saving Treatments and Health Care (HEALTH) Fund - Establishment

HB 1531 establishes the Maryland HEALTH Fund to help individuals cover costs for legally protected health care services under state law, especially where federal restrictions apply. The fund is financed by redirecting $20 million annually from abandoned property sales proceeds (starting fiscal year 2027), plus new premium taxes and portions of sales/use and property tax revenues. It directly assists Maryland residents needing life-saving treatments who face coverage gaps due to federal limitations. The bill creates a dedicated, nonlapsing fund to ensure consistent funding for these health care costs.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesEstablishes HEALTH Fund using redirected abandoned property funds and new taxes (premium/sales) to fund healthcare coverage, directly advancing state budget allocation for public health services.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes HEALTH Fund to cover life-saving treatment costs amid federal coverage gaps, directly funding healthcare access through redirected and new revenue streams.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Property Tax Insurance

Track

passed · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 25, 2026

HB 1617: Public Health - Health Innovation Zones - Establishment

HB 1617 establishes "Health Innovation Zones" in Maryland counties to address health disparities. It defines zones as areas with documented health gaps (like high maternal complications, chronic diseases, or low access to care) in communities of color, low-income areas, or immigrant populations. Counties must create incentives for grocery stores, pharmacies, and healthcare providers to locate in these zones, and Prince George’s County must designate specific zones (including the Blue Line Corridor and areas near DC) while seeking additional zones meeting the same criteria. The bill requires annual $5 million state funding starting in 2028 for the Maryland Economic Development Corporation to support these businesses and exempts them from local zoning laws within designated zones.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEstablishes Health Innovation Zones to incentivize healthcare providers in underserved areas, directly improving access and addressing health disparities per bill summary.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

in committee · Maryland · Senate Feb 12, 2026

SB 568: Health Occupations - Licensed Psychologists - Prescriptive Authority

SB 568 would allow licensed psychologists in Maryland to prescribe certain medications under specific conditions, but only after obtaining certification from the State Board of Examiners of Psychologists. The bill creates new requirements for certification, establishes a Prescriptive Authority Advisory Committee to oversee implementation, and adds new sections (18-3B-01 to 18-3B-09) to the health occupations code. It directly affects licensed psychologists who meet the new certification standards and complete required training, expanding their scope of practice beyond traditional psychological services. The policy change modifies existing licensing rules to include prescriptive authority as a defined part of "practice psychology" under specific board-certified conditions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables licensed psychologists to prescribe medications under certification, expanding mental health care access and provider scope per bill's core purpose.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Medical Licensing Mental Health

Track

in committee · Maryland · Senate Mar 9, 2026

SB 913: Motor Vehicles - Enhanced Tinted Windows - Medical Exemption

SB 913 amends Maryland's vehicle tinting law to allow out-of-state physicians licensed to practice medicine to issue medical exemptions for window tint darker than the standard 35% light transmittance requirement. It directly affects Maryland drivers with medical conditions (like light sensitivity) requiring darker tint, who previously needed an exemption from a Maryland-licensed physician. The bill removes the 2-year expiration limit for medical exemptions, allowing indefinite validity if a physician certifies a permanent condition. This change simplifies the process for out-of-state medical providers and individuals with ongoing health needs, while maintaining the core 35% light transmittance rule for non-exempt vehicles.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves barriers for medical exemptions related to health conditions, improving patient access to window tint accommodations without requiring local physician oversight or expiring exemptions.85% confidence

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 16, 2026

HB 1121: Public Health – Perimenopausal, Menopausal, and Postmenopausal Conditions

HB 1121 requires health occupations boards to grant at least 2 hours of continuing education credit for every hour of training on perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal evaluation and treatment. This directly affects healthcare professionals (like doctors, nurses, and specialists) who must complete continuing education to renew their licenses. The bill also adds a specialized representative with expertise in these conditions to the State Advisory Council on Health and Wellness. Additionally, it directs three state agencies - the Maryland Health Care Commission, Maryland Commission for Women, and Maryland Department of Health - to take specific actions related to these health conditions. The law focuses on improving provider knowledge and resources through mandatory education credits and advisory input.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates CE credits for menopause care training and adds specialized council representative, directly enhancing healthcare provider expertise and patient care for menopausal conditions.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 11, 2026

HB 1136: Nonprofit Hospitals - Community Benefits

HB 1136 requires most nonprofit hospitals in Maryland to provide annual community benefits equal to either 100% of their tax-exempt value or 5% of net patient revenue (if charity care meets a 4% minimum). Hospitals must report their compliance to the Health Services Cost Review Commission within 120 days after their fiscal year ends. Starting in 2028, the Commission will annually report non-compliant hospitals to the Attorney General and Comptroller, who can revoke a hospital’s tax-exempt status for the next tax year if it fails to meet requirements. Hospitals may correct unintentional errors by providing the missing benefits. This applies to all nonprofit hospitals except those in counties with fewer than 50,000 residents.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesRequires nonprofit hospitals to meet community benefit thresholds tied to tax-exempt status, closing a loophole and promoting fiscal responsibility in tax policy.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates nonprofit hospitals to provide community benefits and maintain 4% charity care minimum, expanding access to healthcare services for underserved populations.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Audits & Accountability Hospitals

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 13, 2026

HB 1380: Health Insurance - Prescriptions for Gender-Affirming Care and Hormone Therapy - Coverage and Dispensing Requirements

HB 1380 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations in Maryland to cover prescriptions for gender-affirming care and hormone therapy (defined as lawful treatment under state law) for up to a 12-month supply per prescription. It prohibits insurers from forcing patients to accept a full 12-month supply if the patient or their provider requests a smaller amount. Pharmacists must dispense qualifying prescriptions (after January 1, 2027) in quantities up to a 12-month supply unless exceptions apply, such as acute drug shortages (limiting to 90 days) or prior coverage in the same plan year. The bill applies to all health plans issued or renewed in Maryland on or after January 1, 2027.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurer coverage for gender-affirming care/hormone therapy, expands access, and protects patient choice per state law, directly advancing healthcare coverage for specified treatments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

Track

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Mar 10, 2026

HB 1159: Public Health and Health Insurance - Access to Abortion Care - Reporting Requirements

HB 1159 modifies reporting requirements related to abortion care in Maryland. It requires the Department of Health to include specific recommendations in its annual report on the Abortion Care Clinical Training Program to address provider shortages, and mandates the Insurance Commissioner to collect annual data from insurers on funds set aside under federal law (Affordable Care Act) for abortion services. This data must be submitted by January 1 each year to the Senate Finance and House Health committees, covering the previous two calendar years. The bill affects health departments, insurers, and legislative committees, focusing on transparency around abortion care funding and training programs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires data collection on abortion care funding and addresses provider shortages, improving access to reproductive healthcare services under public health programs.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Public Health Women's Health

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 1091: Health Insurance and Dental Plan Organizations - Dentists - Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers

HB 1091 requires health insurers and dental plan organizations to directly reimburse dentists not in their network (nonpreferred dentists) when a patient assigns their insurance benefits to the dentist, and prohibits them from blocking such assignments. It also mandates that nonpreferred dentists inform patients about their non-network status, potential out-of-pocket costs, and payment terms before providing care, and submit a disclosure form to the insurer for the assignment. Insurers may still refuse direct payment only in specific cases, such as if the assignment was received too late, an error occurred, the patient withdrew the assignment, or the patient paid the dentist at the time of service. The bill directly affects non-network dentists, their patients, and insurance companies covering dental services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates direct reimbursement to nonpreferred dentists, improves patient access to out-of-network care, and requires cost transparency before treatment.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance