Gov. Wes Moore’s win puts the governorship back in Democrats’ hands after two terms of Republican control, which put Maryland Democrats in full control of the state’s government. During Moore’s State of the State address, he hinted at his legislative agenda, which includes healthcare-related items like addressing Maryland’s workforce shortage, attracting and retaining … Read more
Maryland lawmakers, like their federal counterparts, are focused on addressing the growing cost of prescription drugs. One approach that is being recognized at the state level is the establishment of Prescription Drug Affordability Boards (PDAB). PDABs are independent bodies empowered to analyze the high cost of drugs, impose upper payment limits, or suggest … Read more
On Friday, Maryland’s House Health and Government Operations Committee conducted its first votes of the new legislative term. The committee took up three bills: House Bills 214, 279, and 611. Del. Ariana B. Kelly (D – Montgomery) discussed HB 214, which would establish a Commission on Public Health for Maryland. The commission would … Read more
On Feb. 1st, Maryland Gov. Wes Moore gave his State of the State Address to a packed house that featured members of the general assembly, state and local government leaders, and congressional delegates. With a full Democrat controlled House, Senate, and now governorship for the first time since 2014, Moore laid out his healthcare-related goals … Read more
On January 24th, 2023, the first subcommittee meeting for Maryland’s Public Health and Minority Health Disparities Subcommittee took place, featuring input and briefings from a few healthcare advocates regarding their responsibilities and priority goals for this upcoming legislative session. The focus of the meeting was to discuss the impact of violence on healthcare in Maryland. … Read more
On January 12th, 2023, the first committee meeting for Maryland’s Health and Government Committee featured input from a few healthcare agencies regarding their responsibilities and priority goals for this upcoming legislative session. Maryland Department of Health Dennis Schrader, secretary of health for the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), gave a brief overview of … Read more
Several years ago, Maryland legislators wanted to address their constituents’ mental healthcare needs using patient-centered and data-driven models. Therefore, in 2018, legislators established a Collaborative Care Pilot Program to reach, diagnose, and treat Medicaid patients who have access to primary care but may not have received needed behavioral healthcare. “One in five Americans … Read more
While there are around 620,214 small businesses in Maryland, which employ over 1.2 million employees in the state, the Baltimore Sun reports that only about 37% of small businesses in the state of Maryland provide health coverage to their employees compared to 95% of large employers who provide their employees with coverage. Currently, … Read more
On December 23rd, 2022, President Biden signed into law a $1.7 trillion year-long federal omnibus bill for fiscal year 2023. From that bill, U.S. Senators Chris Van Hollen and Ben Cardin (both D-MD) announced that they have secured $35,694,377 in direct federal funding for local projects in Western Maryland through the omnibus funding legislation, which … Read more
Like hospitals and health systems in much of the nation, Maryland’s hospitals are facing myriad challenges, which include an unprecedented financial strain, an historic workforce shortage, and a behavioral healthcare crisis. Financial strain Maryland’s Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) published recommendations for 2023, and to keep up with current inflation and to … Read more