2011 Maryland General Assembly
Rural Health Wrap Up
The 428th Session of the Maryland General Assembly ended on April 11, 2011. Below is a wrap up of budgetary changes and legislation that impacted the rural health of Maryland as well as MRHA's activities.Legislation and Budgetary Impacts - More with less and study the issues!
The Rural Maryland Council (RMC) originally cut from the Governor's proposed budget, survived after a late night amendment was adopted to the Invest Maryland Legislation (HB 173). Rural Tri County Council leaders Scott Warner, Wayne Clark, Mike Pennington and Leanne Mazer led this advocacy effort and Southern Maryland Senator Middleton led the legislative charge.
Maryland Agricultural Education and Rural Development Assistance Fund (MAERDAF) that has supported the MRHA for several years and provided support to other rural serving agencies was cut in the Governor's proposed budget and was not revived despite efforts to introduce a more extensive Rural Amendment to the Invest Maryland Legislation.
Legislation on Telemedicine (HB 14, 16, 17; SB 298, 406, 744) - Three bills were introduced in the House by Eastern Shore Del. Smigiel centered on promoting telemedicine, all died in committee. Three bills were also introduced in the Senate, two by Eastern Shore Senator Pipkin. MRHA provided written informational only testimony for the telemedicine legislation. Testimony centered on: the results of our telemedicine inventory stressing reimbursement as the number one issue to move it forward in the state; the positive lead the Health Care Cost and Quality Telemedicine Taskforce was taking; and the overall access to care telemedicine would afford rural communities. SB 406, a Task Force to Study the Use of Telemedicine in Medically Underserved Populations and Areas, passed the Senate but failed to past in the House.Southern Maryland Article on legislation.
Health Officers - Authority to Enter into Contracts or Agreements for Delivery of Health Care Services (SB 416/HB 709) MRHA supported this legislation that passed to authorize a health officer, subject to the written approval of the Secretary of Health and Mental Hygiene, to enter into a contract or other written agreement to assist or participate in the delivery of health care services with a person that is authorized to provide, finance, coordinate, facilitate, or otherwise deliver health care services in the State. This authority will allow county health officers to provide services to their communities to include family planning, dental care, home health, behavioral health, and maternal and child home visiting that might not otherwise be offered to their communities. Without this mechanism health departments can be deemed as "out of network" for the delivery of healthcare, thus resulting in lower reimbursement rates.
Please visit 2011 MRHA Bills monitored to see the summary of ALL the legislation monitored by MRHA and the action taken on any specific legislation by the MRHA Legislative Committee.
MRHA in Annapolis
Looking Forward to 2012
Maryland Rural Health Association hopes to use the Rural Health Conference Navigating Change By Connecting With Others to establish the top three priorities for rural health going into the 2012 General Assembly. We already have commitments from Dr. Robert Bass, Director, Maryland Institute for Emergency Medical Services Systems (MIEMSS) to present and discuss the current progress of the now legislatively mandated Telemedicine Taskforce. Our National Rural Health Association President, Alan Morgan, will talk about the federal negotiating rule committee on HPSA/MUA designations on which he serves. We also hope to have sessions on environmental health (the septic legislation study) and the ongoing implementation of the federal Affordable Care Act. Please make sure to join us November 3-4, 2011, in Ocean City.
We welcome new participants on our Legislative Committee for 2012. Please contact mrha@allconet.org if you would like to participate on the legislative committee, receive a copy of written support provided this session, or have any questions or concerns.
