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Requiring a hospital to conduct screening on a patient presenting at an emergency department of the hospital to determine whether the patient has an emergency pregnancy-related medical condition; establishing requirements and prohibitions related to the treatment and transfer of a patient who has an emergency pregnancy-related medical condition; requiring a hospital to allow the termination of a pregnancy in certain circumstances; etc.

Establishing the Office of Health Care Quality Stakeholder Advisory Council to provide feedback to the Office of Health Care Quality regarding maintaining oversight of health care facilities and to notify the Secretary of Health if the Office is negligent in providing oversight of health care facilities; and requiring the Advisory Council, beginning in 2027, and by December 1 annually, to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly.

Altering the membership of the Maryland Health Care Commission by reducing from nine to eight the number of members who are individuals who do not have any connection with the management or policy of a health care provider or payor and including a representative of a hospital; and altering from five to four the number of Commission members who must be residents of different counties with a population of 300,000 or more.

Altering the membership of the Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities.

Requiring the Department of Aging to conduct an annual financial stress test for each continuing care in a retirement community provider; requiring a continuing care in a retirement community provider to meet with a resident association at least quarterly and in a certain manner; requiring a provider to make agendas and minutes of certain meetings accessible to the provider's subscribers; etc.

Prohibiting a health care provider from using the health care provider's human reproductive material when providing assisted reproductive treatment without the consent of the recipient of the treatment; prohibiting a health care provider from using a donor's human reproductive material to provide assisted reproductive treatment without the donor's informed consent or in a manner that is inconsistent with the donor's consent; etc.

Authorizing a member of the Health Services Cost Review Commission to continue to serve for a period not to exceed 6 months after the expiration of the member's term of office, rather than until a successor is appointed and qualifies; and repealing the authority of a member of the Commission who was appointed after a term began to serve until a successor is appointed and qualifies.

Establishing the Maryland Commission on Women's Health Advancement to study the feasibility of establishing a State women's hospital in Southern Maryland and a statewide clinical network to advance women's health; requiring the Commission by January 1, 2027, to submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an initial action plan, including a timeline, milestones, and specific research objectives; etc.

Altering the membership of the Maryland Health Care Commission by reducing from nine to eight the number of members who are individuals who do not have any connection with the management or policy of a health care provider or payor and including a representative of a hospital; and altering from five to four the number of Commission members who must be residents of different counties with a population of 300,000 or more.

Requiring a hospital to conduct screening on a patient presenting at an emergency department of the hospital to determine whether the patient has an emergency pregnancy-related medical condition; establishing requirements and prohibitions related to the treatment and transfer of a patient who has an emergency pregnancy-related medical condition; requiring a hospital to allow the termination of a pregnancy in certain circumstances; etc.

Requiring nursing homes, assisted living programs, nurse midwives, and licensed certified midwives to notify each resident and prospective resident at certain times if the nursing home, assisted living program, nurse midwife, or licensed certified midwife either does not maintain professional liability insurance or professional liability insurance coverage has lapsed and has not been renewed; etc.

Altering a certain requirement pertaining to the number of regular and alternate members selected to be on the governing body of a continuing care in a retirement community provider; authorizing a resident association, rather than a governing body, to select regular and alternate subscriber members of a governing body; and repealing a requirement that a subscriber member be selected according to certain standards and criteria.

Requiring nursing homes, assisted living programs, and nurse midwives to notify each resident and prospective resident in writing or by written electronic communication if the nursing home, assisted living program, or nurse midwife either does not maintain professional liability insurance or professional liability insurance coverage has lapsed and has not been renewed; and requiring each nursing home that does not maintain professional liability insurance coverage to post that information in a conspicuous location.

Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to conduct at least two on-site unannounced inspections of each certified recovery residence annually; authorizing the Department to direct the recovery residence credentialing entity to revoke the certification of a certified recovery residence that fails to correct a deficiency within 1 month after notice of the deficiency is provided; etc.

Altering the time period after the delivery of a newborn following a high-risk pregnancy in which a hospital or freestanding birthing center must call the birthing parent to evaluate the birthing parent's status and, as necessary, provide certain information to be at least 24 hours, but not later than 72 hours, rather than at least 24 hours, but not later than 48 hours after discharge.

Repealing the exemption from the certificate of need requirement for a change in bed capacity for intermediate care facilities that offer substance use disorder treatment services; providing a certificate of need is not required for a change in bed capacity at certain facilities offering certain treatment services if a written notice is filed with the Commission 45 days before the facility's establishment, the facility is consistent with the State Health Plan, will result in more efficient service delivery, and is in the public interest; etc.

Repealing a provision of law prohibiting an electronic health network or electronic medical record vendor from charging a fee for the release of certain patient records or transactions.

Requiring that hospitals, to qualify for a license on or after October 1, 2026, qualify as a nonprofit organization under federal law and be registered as a nonprofit organization with the State; requiring hospitals that receive licensure on or after October 1, 2026, to maintain status as a nonprofit organization as a condition of licensure; and providing that, on or after October 1, 2026, the ownership of a licensed hospital may be transferred only to a nonprofit organization.

Altering the jurisdiction of the Health Services Cost Review Commission; and requiring the Commission, in carrying out certain responsibilities relating to evaluating facility resources to meet certain financial requirements and reviewing costs and rates of hospital services, to take into account all costs incurred or expenditures made by a health facility in connection with the operation of the facility.

Applying certain provisions of law governing the confidentiality of medical records to crisis pregnancy clinics.

Modifying certain reporting requirements, boards, and commissions for practicability and efficiency; repealing certain reporting requirements that are unnecessary, obsolete, or duplicative; repealing as obsolete the Renewable Fuels Incentive Board, Criminal Justice Information Advisory Board, Two-Generation Family Economic Security Commission, and Commission on Trauma-Informed Care; repealing as unnecessary the Partnership for Workforce Quality Advisory Board; etc.

Requiring the Secretary of Health to issue recommendations for certain immunizations, screenings, and preventive services based on certain evidence-based scientific and clinical guidance; altering the authority of pharmacists to administer certain vaccinations; altering the health insurance coverage requirements for certain immunizations, screenings, and preventive services; and repealing obsolete language regarding the pertussis vaccine.

Altering the definition of "medical service" for the purpose of providing an exemption to the certificate of need requirement by removing psychiatry and any subcategory of psychiatry; and providing that a certificate of need is not required to establish or operate a psychiatric health care facility or to offer psychiatric or other mental health services at a health care facility.

Requiring the Secretary of Health to issue recommendations for certain immunizations, screenings, and preventive services based on certain evidence-based scientific and clinical guidance; altering the authority of pharmacists to administer certain vaccinations; altering the health insurance coverage requirements for certain immunizations, screenings, and preventive services; and repealing obsolete language regarding the pertussis vaccine.

Repealing the exemption from the certificate of need requirement for a change in bed capacity for intermediate care facilities that offer substance use disorder treatment services; providing a certificate of need is not required for a change in bed capacity at certain facilities offering certain treatment services if a written notice is filed with the Commission 45 days before the facility's establishment, the facility is consistent with the State Health Plan, will result in more efficient service delivery, and is in the public interest; etc.

Requiring a retirement community provider to include certain information in a certain application and disclosure statement; altering a certain requirement pertaining to the number of regular and alternate members selected to be on the governing body of a continuing care in a retirement community provider; authorizing a resident association, rather than a governing body, to select regular and alternate subscriber members of a governing body; etc.

Repealing the exemption from the certificate of need requirement for certain mergers; requiring certain health care entities to provide certain notice of a material change transaction to the Maryland Health Care Commission and the public; establishing a public interest review process for material change transactions, including criteria for determining whether a material change transaction is subject to a public interest review; etc.

Prohibiting certain facilities from involuntarily transferring or discharging a resident to certain housing or before receiving certain confirmations; altering the information required to be included in a certain notice or updated notice; requiring that a certain notice or updated notice be provided to certain residents at least a certain period of time before an involuntary discharge or transfer; and requiring that a post discharge plan contain certain information.

Altering the jurisdiction of the Health Services Cost Review Commission; and requiring the Commission, in carrying out certain responsibilities relating to evaluating facility resources to meet certain financial requirements and reviewing costs and rates of hospital services, to take into account all costs incurred or expenditures made by a health facility in connection with the operation of the facility.

Altering the membership of the Oversight Committee on Quality of Care in Nursing Homes and Assisted Living Facilities.

Establishing the Workgroup on Behavioral Health Rate Methodology Modernization in the Maryland Health Care Commission to develop transparent, cost-based reimbursement methodologies for certified community behavioral health clinics and outpatient mental health centers; and requiring the Workgroup to report its findings and recommendations to the Governor and the General Assembly on or before October 1, 2027.

Requiring certain facilities to inform individuals of certain rights relating to the participation of a family member or other authorized individual in the individual's plan of treatment; requiring facilities to recognize certain documents as an individual's formal request to allow a certain individual to participate in a certain plan; limiting the reasons for which a treating provider is authorized to withhold information on an individual's plan of treatment from certain third parties; etc.

Applying certain provisions of law governing the confidentiality of medical records to crisis pregnancy clinics.

Requiring a provider of a continuing care retirement community to pay any contractual entrance fee refund not later than 2 years after a continuing care agreement is terminated.

Requiring a physician, in order to be designated as a medical director of a nursing home, to hold a certain medical director certification or be making active progress toward obtaining the certification; prohibiting a physician from being a designated medical director at more than two licensed nursing homes; and requiring the Maryland Department of Health to establish and maintain an online directory of nursing home medical directors.

Requiring the Behavioral Health Administration to adopt regulations authorizing a behavioral health program to relocate to another site; and requiring the regulations to address an expedited approval process, the use of documentation previously submitted, providing authorization for temporary approvals for a relocation, and authorization to consider the program's regulatory record as a basis for expediting the process.

Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to notify and consult with the local health department for the county in which a nursing home is located if the Department initiates an investigation of a nursing home complaint alleging actual harm.

Repealing the exemption from the certificate of need requirement for certain mergers; requiring certain health care entities to provide certain notice of a material change transaction to the Maryland Health Care Commission and the public; establishing a public interest review process for material change transactions, including criteria for determining whether a material change transaction is subject to a public interest review; etc.

Requiring, rather than authorizing, the Governor to include an appropriation of $1,000,000 to the Maryland Patient Safety Center Fund in the annual budget bill for fiscal year 2027 and each fiscal year thereafter.

Requiring the Division of Health Care Financing and Medicaid within the Maryland Department of Health to study the impact of requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide reimbursement for room and board services provided by a hospice house; and requiring the Department to report its findings to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health Committee by September 30, 2026.

Establishing the Office of Health Care Quality Stakeholder Advisory Council to provide feedback to the Office of Health Care Quality regarding maintaining oversight of health care facilities and to notify the Secretary of Health if the Office is negligent in providing oversight of health care facilities; requiring the Advisory Council, beginning January 1, 2027, to hold a virtual public meeting once every 6 months; and requiring a summary of each public meeting to be published on the Council's website within 30 days of the meeting.

Prohibiting certain facilities from involuntarily transferring or discharging a resident to certain housing or before receiving certain confirmations; altering the information required to be included in a certain notice or updated notice; requiring that a certain notice or updated notice be provided to certain residents at least a certain period of time before an involuntary discharge or transfer; and requiring that a post discharge plan contain certain information.

Requiring the Behavioral Health Administration to adopt regulations authorizing a behavioral health program to relocate to another site.

Requiring, by January 1, 2028, each health care facility that performs surgical procedures to adopt and implement policies that require the use of a smoke evacuation system during a surgical procedure that may generate surgical smoke.

Requiring the State Health Services Cost Review Commission to develop and publish a model policy, by October 1, 2026, describing how hospitals are required to respond to an immigration enforcement action at the hospitals; and requiring certain hospitals in the State to develop a policy describing how each hospital will respond to an immigration enforcement action at the hospital by January 1, 2027, or 3 months after the Commission publishes a model policy.

Requiring, beginning in 2026, the Maryland Department of Health to conduct the in-State cost-of-dispensing survey at least every 3 years; and requiring, within 6 months after the completion of the survey, the Department to adopt regulations establishing a fee-for-service professional dispensing fee based on the results of the survey.

Requiring certain nonprofit hospitals to provide a certain value of community benefits each year; requiring the Health Services Cost Review Commission to report on the compliance of nonprofit hospitals with the community benefits requirement to the Attorney General and the Comptroller; authorizing the Comptroller to revoke the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit hospital under certain circumstances; and altering the requirements of a community benefit report.

Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to conduct at least two on-site unannounced inspections of each certified recovery residence annually; authorizing the Department to direct the recovery residence credentialing entity to revoke the certification of a certified recovery residence that fails to correct a deficiency with 1 month after notice of the deficiency is provided; etc.

Requiring, beginning January 1, 2027, rather than authorizing, a recovery residence to be certified by a credentialing entity before operating in the State.

Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to ensure the establishment and ongoing operation of at least 24 licensed adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds in Prince George's County; requiring, under certain circumstances, the Department to issue a request for proposals to establish adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds in the county and to administer a certain grant program; etc.

Requiring the Maryland Department of Health to ensure the establishment and ongoing operation of a minimum 24 licensed adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds in Prince George's County; requiring, if the Department determines that expanding the bed capacity will not meet a certain deadline, the Department to issue by June 30, 2027, a request for proposals to establish adolescent psychiatric inpatient beds in the county and to administer a certain grant program; etc.

Establishing the Maryland Commission on Women's Health Advancement to study the feasibility of establishing a State women's hospital in Southern Maryland and a statewide clinical network to advance women's health; requiring the Commission by January 1, 2027, to submit to the Governor and the General Assembly an initial action plan, including a timeline, milestones, and specific research objectives; etc.

Requiring certain nonprofit hospitals to provide a certain value of community benefits each year; requiring the Health Services Cost Review Commission to report on the compliance of nonprofit hospitals with the community benefits requirement to the Attorney General and the Comptroller; authorizing the Comptroller to revoke the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit hospital under certain circumstances; and altering the requirements of a community benefit report.

Prohibiting individuals who experienced a pregnancy loss from being subject to investigation, civil liability, or criminal prosecution except under certain circumstances; establishing a private right of action for a violation of a certain prohibition against investigations of pregnancy loss; providing that an incidence of pregnancy loss does not constitute probable cause to issue a certain search warrant, except under certain circumstances; etc.

Requiring provider agencies to pay at least $17 per hour to personal care aides and to provide a certain notice regarding the wage to personal care aides; and requiring provider agencies to provide personal care aides with a certain minimum amount of earned sick and safe leave.

Requiring the Division of Health Care Financing and Medicaid within the Maryland Department of Health to study the impact of requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide reimbursement for room and board services provided by a hospice house; and requiring the Department to report its findings to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health Committee by September 30, 2026.

Requiring that, on or after October 1, 2027, certain facilities provide patients with certain access to palliative care and inform patients about the availability of palliative care at certain times; requiring the Department of Health to adopt regulations establishing minimum standards for palliative care, including staffing, training and quality assurance requirements; requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide health insurance coverage for certain palliative care; etc.

Requiring that the requirements for the certification of recovery residences established by a credentialing entity prohibit a certified recovery residence from refusing services to an individual receiving medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder or requiring an individual to cease receiving or modify how the individual receives medication-assisted treatment for opioid use disorder as a condition to receive services from a certified recovery residence.

Requiring behavioral health programs that own, lease, operate, or control an inpatient facility to take certain affirmative and reasonable steps to determine whether a resident is required to register under the Maryland Sex Offender Registry; and requiring a behavioral health program to take certain steps to ensure a resident's compliance with the sex offender registry law.

Requiring certain centers where mammography testing is performed to include in the screening results letter that is sent to a patient, as required by federal law, a notice of the presence of arterial calcification as observed during the patient's mammogram.

Requiring, beginning in 2026, the Maryland Department of Health to conduct the in-State cost-of-dispensing survey at least every 3 years; and requiring, within 6 months after the completion of the survey, the Department to adopt regulations establishing a fee-for-service professional dispensing fee based on the results of the survey.

Requiring a hospital to prepare a safe discharge labor plan before discharging or transferring a patient in active labor, subject to a certain exception; requiring a hospital to maintain records of safe discharge labor plans for at least 21 years; requiring a hospital to conspicuously post copies of the rights of a patient in active labor; and requiring a hospital to provide certain annual training to certain staff members.

Prohibiting tissue banks and hospitals from denying a patient a physician-ordered autologous or directed blood donation under certain circumstances; authorizing a patient or an individual authorized to make medical decisions on a patient's behalf to request an autologous or directed blood donation; and authorizing tissue banks and hospitals to decline a request for a physician-ordered autologous or directed blood donation only under certain circumstances.

Repealing the sunset termination of a requirement for the Governor to include $10,000,000 in the annual budget bill for certain purposes related to the University of Maryland Capital Region Medical Center.

Prohibiting certain policies and contracts issued by insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations from denying insurance coverage for certain emergency room services under certain circumstances; requiring the Maryland Health Care Commission, in conjunction with the Health Services Cost Review Commission, to conduct a study to quantify bed capacity in hospitals and post-acute settings in the State and make a recommendation on a certain collection and auditing process; etc.

Establishing an unregulated space in hospital operating suites pilot project; requiring the Health Services Cost Review Commission to administer the pilot project; requiring the Commission to develop certain criteria and standards for the pilot project; requiring the Commission by December 1 annually to submit a certain report to certain committees of the General Assembly; and requiring certain ambulatory surgical centers and freestanding surgical centers to provide the Commission with certain information.