Healthcare

in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SB 120: Health Insurance - Required Benefits for Dental Preventive Care - Frequency Limitation Interval (Healthy Moms and Family Smiles Act)

SB 120 shortens the maximum interval between covered dental preventive visits from 120 to 90 days for Maryland health insurance policies. It directly affects insurers and policyholders by requiring more frequent coverage for routine services like cleanings, exams, and fluoride treatments under existing plans. The bill applies to all policies issued or renewed in Maryland after January 1, 2027, without expanding coverage requirements beyond current preventive care benefits. This change aims to improve access to routine dental care by reducing waiting periods for covered services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareShortens dental visit interval from 120 to 90 days, increasing access to preventive care under existing coverage without expanding benefits, directly improving patient access to routine services.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Primary Care

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 445: Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance - Coverage for Orthoses and Prostheses (So Every Body Can Move Act)

HB 445, the "So Every Body Can Move Act," requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Medical Assistance Program) and private health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and HMOs to cover orthoses (supportive devices like braces) starting January 1, 2027. It mandates annual coverage for orthoses, including repairs, replacements, and components, without lifetime dollar limits or higher copays than other medical benefits. The bill clarifies that coverage must include all orthoses deemed medically necessary by a provider for daily living or essential job activities. It directly affects Maryland residents enrolled in Medicaid or private health plans covering hospital/medical benefits, ensuring access to these devices without restrictive lifetime limits or unnecessary barriers.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates Medicaid and private insurers to cover orthoses without lifetime limits or higher copays, expanding access to medically necessary devices.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Medicaid

in committee · Maryland · House of Delegates Feb 5, 2026

HB 615: Health Facilities - Confidentiality of Medical Records - Crisis Pregnancy Clinics

HB 615 adds crisis pregnancy clinics to Maryland's definition of "health care provider" for medical record confidentiality purposes. This means clinics offering pregnancy-related health care (including mobile facilities) must now follow the same state laws protecting patient records as hospitals and other medical providers. The bill specifically clarifies these clinics are not covered under federal HIPAA rules but must comply with Maryland's existing confidentiality standards. It directly affects crisis pregnancy clinics by requiring them to handle patient records under the same legal protections as other healthcare facilities. The law takes effect October 1, 2026.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareClassifies crisis pregnancy clinics as health care providers for medical record confidentiality, requiring compliance with state standards to protect patient privacy and rights.95% confidence

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 546: Primary and Secondary Education - Educator Professional Development - Course on Well-Being and Flourishing

HB 546 requires Maryland's State Department of Education to provide a free, mandatory professional development course on educator well-being and flourishing to all school personnel and administrators by July 1, 2027. The course must cover eight key areas of well-being identified by the federal Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, including social connections, physical health, emotional resilience, and financial literacy. Schools may use synchronous or asynchronous instruction, and the department can develop the course itself or adapt existing third-party materials. The bill ensures this course is offered at the same rate as other required professional development courses for licensed educators.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandatory free professional development for educators on well-being directly supports teacher welfare and school staff effectiveness per bill requirements.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates course covering SAMHSA well-being areas including mental health, emotional resilience, and physical health, directly supporting mental health services for educators.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Student Health Teachers Mental Health Substance Abuse

in committee · Maryland · Senate Jan 21, 2026

SB 78: Public Health – Prostate–Specific Antigen Testing (Protect Our Prostate Act)

SB 78, the "Protect Our Prostate Act," requires healthcare providers and clinical laboratories to provide standardized information to patients receiving prostate-specific antigen (PSA) tests. It mandates that providers give written preparation instructions before testing, while labs must use FDA-approved tests, calibrate using WHO standards, report results in nanograms per milliliter with reference ranges, and disclose test details to ordering doctors. The law directly affects patients undergoing PSA testing, healthcare providers ordering tests, and clinical laboratories administering the tests. It aims to improve transparency and accuracy of PSA results to help patients understand potential risks like false positives, without changing treatment protocols.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates standardized PSA test information, provider instructions, and lab reporting standards to improve patient communication and test accuracy, protecting patient rights in healthcare services.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Public Health

Track

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 393: Health Insurance - Scalp Cooling Systems - Required Coverage

HB 393 requires health insurers, nonprofit health plans, HMOs, and managed care organizations in Maryland to cover scalp cooling systems when they provide coverage for chemotherapy treatments for cancer. This applies directly to cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy who use scalp cooling to prevent hair loss, and to the insurers that must now include this coverage. The bill defines scalp cooling systems as medical devices designed for repeated use to preserve hair during cancer treatment. Coverage must be provided for these systems as part of chemotherapy treatment plans, effective January 1, 2027. The law amends Maryland’s Insurance Article (Section 15-864) to mandate this coverage for qualifying health plans.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers to cover scalp cooling for chemo patients, expanding access to cancer treatment side effect management and strengthening coverage requirements.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 140: Criminal Law - Benefits Exploitation

SB 140 prohibits individuals from knowingly recruiting, harboring, transporting, or obtaining another person specifically to appropriate their government benefits for personal gain or another's benefit. It directly affects vulnerable populations receiving benefits like Medicare, Medicaid, SNAP, Social Security, or veterans' aid, and targets those exploiting them through coercion (e.g., threats, financial control) or deception. The law defines "exploitation" as illegally using benefits via undue influence, false promises, or isolation, and bans profiting from such exploitation or aiding violations. Violations are felonies punishable by up to 25 years in prison, a $15,000 fine, or both, with each violation treated as a separate offense.

Topics ✓ Criminal JusticeSupports Criminal JusticeBill creates criminal offense to protect vulnerable beneficiaries from exploitation of government benefits, advancing criminal justice reform by safeguarding civil rights and preventing fraud against Medicare/Medicaid/SNAP recipients.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill protects Medicare/Medicaid benefits from exploitation, safeguarding vulnerable populations' access to healthcare coverage and preventing misuse of public health programs.85% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransBill explicitly protects veterans' aid from exploitation by prohibiting illegal appropriation of government benefits, directly safeguarding veterans' access to benefits.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Corrections Human Trafficking Medicaid Medicare

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 420: Public Institutions of Higher Education - Pregnant and Parenting Students - Plan and Reporting

SB 420 requires all public institutions of higher education in Maryland (excluding specific exceptions like University of Maryland Global Campus) to collect demographic data on students' parental status, including whether they are parents, legal guardians, or have caregiving responsibilities. It mandates these institutions to adopt a formal support plan for pregnant and parenting students, including referrals to government assistance programs like WIC, child care scholarships, Medicaid, and parenting resources. The Maryland Higher Education Commission must collect this data annually, compile it into reports, and submit summaries to legislative committees starting September 1, 2027. This bill directly affects pregnant and parenting students by requiring colleges to provide structured support services and track demographic needs.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationMandates support plans for pregnant parenting students at public colleges, including referrals to childcare and assistance programs, enhancing educational access and support for this demographic.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRefers students to Medicaid/WIC, directly improving healthcare access for pregnant/parenting students through institutional support plans.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Higher Education Medicaid

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 28, 2026

HB 624: Hospitals - Clinical Staffing Committees and Plans - Establishment (Safe Staffing Act of 2026)

HB 624 (Safe Staffing Act of 2026) requires most Maryland hospitals to establish clinical staffing committees with equal management and employee representation, including specific frontline staff like nursing assistants and dietary aides. These committees must develop annual staffing plans considering patient acuity, staffing gaps, and evidence-based standards, then post the plans publicly and update them yearly. Hospitals must implement these plans starting in 2028, allow staff to file complaints about violations, and report annually to the Maryland Health Care Commission beginning in 2030. The law directly affects licensed hospitals and frontline healthcare workers by mandating structured, transparent staffing processes to address patient care needs.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates hospital staffing committees and evidence-based plans to improve patient safety and care quality, advancing healthcare standards95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates equal employee-management representation in staffing committees, requires evidence-based staffing plans addressing patient acuity, and protects worker complaint mechanisms - directly advancing workplace safety and employment standards for...95% confidence

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates Apr 14, 2026

HB 276: State Emergency Medical Services Board - Public Access Automated External Defibrillator Program - Revisions

HB 276 revises Maryland's Public Access Automated External Defibrillator (AED) Program to clarify requirements for entities using AEDs. It establishes a mandatory "AED Coordinator" role to maintain AED functionality and reporting, repeals outdated requirements for regional council AED committees, and exempts law enforcement agencies from needing a certificate for AEDs deployed in patrol vehicles. The bill affects businesses, organizations, and government entities that operate public AEDs, requiring them to maintain written AED plans and coordinate with emergency services. Key changes streamline oversight while ensuring AEDs remain accessible and properly maintained for public use during cardiac emergencies.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill strengthens public health emergency response by mandating AED coordination, ensuring device functionality, and removing barriers for public access to life-saving equipment in emergencies.85% confidence