Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 1093: Health Insurance - Provider Panels - Requirements

HB 1093 requires health insurance companies (carriers) to change how they manage provider panels. It removes application fees for providers seeking panel inclusion, mandates specific notice timelines for denials, and requires carriers to update provider directories more frequently. The bill also expands the types of providers carriers cannot restrict (like mental health specialists) and changes rules for reimbursing patients for care from nonparticipating providers. These changes directly affect health insurance companies, doctors/hospitals seeking panel access, and patients navigating provider networks.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRemoves provider application fees, expands mental health specialist access, mandates timely denials and updated directories, improving patient access to care.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 945: Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities - Notification of Investigations and Establishment of the Health Care Quality Improvement Initiative

HB 945 requires Maryland's Department of Health to immediately notify and coordinate with the local health department whenever investigating a nursing home complaint alleging actual harm. This affects the Department, local health departments, and nursing homes directly. The key provision mandates that the Department must contact the local health department right away and collaborate with them during the investigation, particularly for complaints involving actual harm (not routine issues). The bill amends existing law to formalize this notification and consultation process during investigations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires coordinated investigation of nursing home harm complaints, strengthening oversight to protect patient safety in healthcare facilities.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 882: Consumer Health Information - Termination Date and Mandatory Funding for the State's Consumer Health Information Hub - Repeal

HB 882 repeals the requirement that the Governor must include a mandatory $350,000 annual appropriation for the State's Consumer Health Information Hub in the budget. It also removes the automatic expiration date (June 30, 2026) for the Hub's funding provisions. The bill changes the Hub's mandate to carry out its duties "to the extent funding is available," meaning its operations now depend on annual budget decisions rather than guaranteed funding. This directly affects the Hub - designated as the University of Maryland Herschel S. Horowitz Center for Health Literacy - by eliminating its guaranteed funding stream and making its services subject to yearly budget approvals.

Topics ✗ Budget & TaxesOpposes Budget & TaxesRepeals mandatory $350k annual funding, making Hub operations dependent on annual budget approval instead of guaranteed support. Defunds essential program by removing automatic appropriation.90% confidence ✗ HealthcareOpposes HealthcareRepeals mandatory $350k annual funding, making Hub operations dependent on annual budget approvals rather than guaranteed support.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✗ Voted No ✓ Supports Healthcare

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 | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 238: School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact

SB 238 establishes Maryland's participation in the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact, allowing licensed school psychologists to practice across member states without duplicative licensing. The bill creates a standardized pathway for psychologists to hold "equivalent licenses" in any participating state, directly affecting school psychologists seeking cross-state work and school districts needing qualified staff. Key provisions include requiring psychologists to follow each state's scope of practice laws, preserving state authority over licensing, and specifically facilitating mobility for military families. The compact also establishes a Commission to oversee implementation and address issues like disciplinary actions. This is a substantive policy change enabling easier interstate practice while maintaining state-level professional standards.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables cross-state practice for school psychologists, strengthening staff availability and mental health support in K-12 schools without duplicative licensing barriers.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill enables cross-state practice for school psychologists, improving mental health service access in schools by removing licensing barriers, aligning with support for mental health services.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 340: School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact

HB 340 would allow Maryland to join the School Psychologist Interstate Licensure Compact, enabling licensed school psychologists from member states to practice in Maryland without reapplying for separate state licenses. This directly affects school psychologists seeking to work across state lines, particularly in areas facing staffing shortages. The compact establishes standardized requirements for multistate licensure and creates a commission to manage the agreement, while ensuring states maintain authority to protect public safety through their own scope-of-practice laws. The goal is to improve access to school psychological services by streamlining licensing for qualified professionals.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationEnables cross-state practice for school psychologists to address staffing shortages in K-12 schools, supporting educational access and staffing needs.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareEnables cross-state practice for school psychologists, improving access to mental health services in schools, directly supporting mental health care access.90% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 486: Higher Education - Maryland Graduate and Professional Scholarship Program - Eligible Institutions

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.

Topics ✓ EducationSupports EducationBill expands scholarship access for UMES graduate students in specific programs, increasing educational funding and access in higher education.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands scholarships for healthcare graduate programs (PA, pharmacy, PT, vet med), directly funding future healthcare workforce development.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 26, 2026

HB 671: Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman - Mandatory Appropriation

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesBill mandates 3% of Medicaid assessment funds to directly fund Ombudsman office, allocating existing revenue to strengthen advocacy for long-term care residents through dedicated budgeting.95% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareFunds Ombudsman office to advocate for nursing home residents' rights, strengthening patient protections in long-term care under Medicaid program.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · Senate May 26, 2026

SB 340: Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman - Mandatory Appropriation

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.

Topics ✓ Budget & TaxesSupports Budget & TaxesMandates 3% of nursing facility Medicaid assessments fund Ombudsman office, ensuring dedicated budget allocation for oversight service without reducing existing funding.90% confidence ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareBill mandates 3% of nursing facility Medicaid funds for Ombudsman office, directly protecting patient rights and quality oversight in long-term care facilities.95% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare

signed · Maryland · House of Delegates May 12, 2026

HB 1372: Public Health - Office of Health Care Quality Information and Maryland Health Centralization Commission

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.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires public posting of facility inspection data and establishes commission to improve department efficiency, enhancing transparency and oversight in healthcare quality management.85% confidence | Rep's Stance ✓ Voted Yes ✓ Supports Healthcare