Del. Tom Hutchinson

Maddy summaryHB 553 requires Maryland's Medicaid program (Maryland Medical Assistance Program) to cover self-measured blood pressure monitoring for eligible pregnant, postpartum, or chronically ill individuals starting January 1, 2026. It specifically covers Medicaid recipients with conditions like diabetes, heart disease, chronic kidney disease, or cardiometabolic disorders. The bill mandates coverage for validated home blood pressure monitors and reimburses healthcare providers for training, data interpretation, and remote monitoring support. Additionally, it requires the state to launch an education campaign and submit annual reports on usage, health outcomes, and cost savings related to the program.

Maddy summaryHB 1301 prohibits the Maryland Medical Assistance Program, Maryland Children’s Health Program, managed care organizations, and certain health insurers from requiring prior authorization for transfers to special pediatric hospitals. The bill defines "special pediatric hospitals" as facilities providing nonacute medical, rehabilitation, therapy, and palliative care to individuals under 22 years old, or those aged 2-22 with co-occurring physical and behavioral health conditions. It amends Maryland law to require coverage for such transfers without prior approval, effective January 1, 2026. This directly affects Medicaid programs, children’s health programs, and health insurers covering hospital or medical services in Maryland.

Maddy summaryHB 970 prohibits Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations from requiring patients to try less expensive diabetes medications before covering insulin. It directly affects people with type 1, type 2, or gestational diabetes who rely on insulin or similar insulin analogs for treatment. The bill bans "step therapy" or "fail-first" protocols - where insurers force patients to attempt alternative drugs first - regardless of how insurers label these policies. This change takes effect for all new or renewed health insurance policies on or after January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 798 requires Maryland's Office of Overdose Response (with the Department of Health) to create and maintain a public interactive dashboard tracking how settlement funds from opioid-related lawsuits are spent. The dashboard must show, by state, county, and municipality: payment schedules, past spending, spending plans, funded initiatives, and public hearing details. Local governments receiving these funds must submit required financial data through an online portal to the Department for inclusion on the dashboard. The dashboard will be developed and maintained using existing Opioid Restitution Fund money from the state budget, not new appropriations. This bill focuses solely on transparency, with no new policy changes or funding mechanisms.

Maddy summaryHB 1146 requires Maryland's crisis communication centers to coordinate with the 9-8-8 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline Network to provide services like supportive counseling, suicide prevention, crisis intervention, and referrals. It mandates that each jurisdiction's crisis system evaluate outcomes using specific data points, including 9-8-8 call volume, resolution rates, mobile crisis team dispatches, and discharge data. The bill also requires annual public reporting of this data - disaggregated by race, gender, age, and zip code - to inform policy improvements aimed at reducing criminal detention and enhancing community crisis diversion. This directly affects all Maryland crisis communication centers and their coordination with the 9-8-8 network.

Maddy summaryHB 1004 requires the Maryland Department of Health to incorporate FDA-approved Alzheimer's treatments into public health outreach programs for healthcare providers and the public. It mandates the department to create a publicly accessible website displaying statewide prevalence and hospitalization rates for Alzheimer's and related dementias, disaggregated by age, race, ethnicity, sex, and county. The bill specifically targets improving early detection awareness, emphasizing Medicare wellness visits for seniors, and addressing higher risk in Black and Latino communities. The website must include data from the previous five years and be updated annually starting in 2027.

Maddy summaryHB 1087 prohibits Maryland health insurers, nonprofit health plans, and health maintenance organizations from requiring step therapy (where patients must try less expensive drugs first) for two specific cancer-related treatments. It applies when: (1) a drug treats stage 4 metastatic cancer itself (if FDA-approved and supported by medical evidence), or (2) a drug treats a symptom or side effect from cancer treatment (if determined necessary by a provider and backed by medical literature). The law affects patients with advanced metastatic cancer who rely on these specific prescription drugs and requires insurers to cover them without prior authorization hurdles. The bill amends Maryland insurance law and takes effect January 1, 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 871 adds "community health worker workforce programs" to Maryland’s definition of "community benefit" for nonprofit hospitals. It allows hospitals and community-based organizations to partner through a formal memorandum of understanding (MOU) to establish these programs, which must include specific elements like health outcome goals, implementation plans, and data protocols. The bill requires hospitals to provide employer-sponsored health insurance to community health workers employed through these partnerships. This directly affects nonprofit hospitals, community organizations, and community health workers, aiming to improve patient access to care and address social determinants of health.

Maddy summaryHB 1142 establishes the Maryland Interested Parties Advisory Group within the Department of Health to address two key issues: ensuring Medicaid payment rates for home and community-based services are sufficient to maintain access, and supporting the development of an adequate direct care workforce. The advisory group will include 11 voting members representing consumers, consumer organizations, direct care workers, worker organizations, provider associations, and the public, plus a nonvoting data expert. It must reflect Maryland’s diversity in disability, race, ethnicity, gender, and other demographics. The group will meet quarterly starting November 1, 2025, and the Department of Health will provide staff and logistical support to ensure meaningful participation from consumers and direct care workers. This bill directly affects Medicaid recipients needing home/community services, direct care workers, and organizations serving these groups.

Maddy summaryHB 745 requires Maryland's State Board of Professional Counselors and Therapists to issue behavior analyst licenses within 10 days of receiving a complete application, or within 30 days if additional information is needed to complete an initially incomplete application. The bill mandates the Board send email notifications to applicants at four key stages: when an application is received, review begins, completeness is confirmed (or more info is needed), and when a license is issued or denied. This directly affects individuals applying for behavior analyst licensure in Maryland by setting clear timelines for processing and improving communication. The bill does not change eligibility requirements but focuses on streamlining the application process and transparency. It takes effect October 1, 2025.