5 Things Maryland: Health in the budget, Detailed Agenda, Workforce legislation – State of Reform – State of Reform

With just over a month until we host the2022 Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conference, our team is hard at work bringing together the speakers, topics, and conversations that were sure stakeholders from all siloes will find valuable.

Were excited to announce that Chuck Milligan, chief operating officer at Health Management Associates, will join us as the host of our conference this year! Chuck previously served as Deputy Secretary of Health Care Financing (Medicaid Director) at the Maryland Department of Health after the passage of the ACA, and as Executive Director of the Hilltop Institute at UMBC between 2004-2011.You can find more information on our upcoming conference below!

Emily BoergerState of Reform

Ben Steffen is the executive director of the Maryland Health Care Commission, which designatesthe states health information exchangetheChesapeake Regional Information System for our Patients(CRISP). Inthis Q&A, Steffen reflects on the role CRISP played in mapping the COVID-19 pandemic and shares his thoughts on the future utilization of HIEs to strengthen Marylands public health infrastructure.

The value of health information exchanges took on a new dimension with the onset of COVID, says Steffen, as CRISP was able to provide accessible portals for public health and clinical leaders to access outbreak and testing information. CRISPs ability to gather information across the entire clinical landscape and assemble it in ways that could help decision makers more broadly, was really recognized. Looking forward, Steffen says the state will need to think about if, how, and to what extent it utilizes CRISP in its public health infrastructure.

In case you missed it, we recently released the Topical Agendafor the2022 Maryland State of Reform Health Policy Conferencecoming up on May 4. Its a set of topics pulled together from scores of hours of conversations with ourConvening Panel, key stakeholders, and sponsors. During the conference, well take up issues related to behavioral health, health equity, workforce challenges, and COVIDs impact on the population health financing model.

Be sure to also be on the lookout for our Detailed Agenda, which well release next week. This agenda will include the full list of over 60 confirmed and invited speakers who will join us at the event. If you havent already registered,wed be honored to have you join us!

Less than two weeks remain until the end of session, and lawmakers are hard at work pushing health-related legislation forward. Facing last weeks chamber crossover deadline, several billsincluding legislation related toadult Medicaid dental servicesand the988 Trust Fund passed out of their chamber of origin.

Two health workforce billssponsored by Del. Ariana Kelly also recently crossed over to the opposite chamber.House Bill 625, which would establish the Commission to Study the Health Care Workforce Crisis in Maryland, is currently in the Senate Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs Committee.HB 1208, which has a committee hearing scheduled for this afternoon, focuses more on policies that would specifically address the statesnursing workforce shortage.

The legislature is nearing final discussions on the $58.2 billion operating budgetfor FY 2023. Afterunanimously passing in the Senate, Republicans attempted to pass several amendments last Thursday in the House, including funding for alternative medicine within the Department of Veteran Affairs and an amendment requiring the collection of abortion-related information. The amendments failed and the budget ultimately passed the House on a 113-15 vote.

However, the Senate refused to concur with other changes from the House, including a$46.5 million appropriation to support the legalization of cannabis in the state. A conference committee is set to work out final negotiations between the two chambers.

Del. Kirill Reznik is currently pursuinga bill that aims toimprove the continuum of care for foster children housed in emergency departments or other acute-care settings. Reznik says the lack of post-acute placements for this population has resulted in children getting stuck in EDs for weeks or months after receiving care.House Bill 406 would put in place new restrictions and procedures related to these placements, and would establish a task force to study current ED overstays among foster children.

According to the bills analysis, DHS estimates it incurs expenditures of approximately $36.5 million annually for costs associated with youth overstay expenditures. HB 406 is scheduled to be heard in the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee tomorrow afternoon.

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5 Things Maryland: Health in the budget, Detailed Agenda, Workforce legislation - State of Reform - State of Reform