EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb0553*
HOUSE BILL 553
J1 5lr3326
CF SB 94
By: Delegates Taveras, Boafo, Harrison, Holmes, Lehman, Terrasa, and Vogel
Introduced and read first time: January 22, 2025
Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Self–Measured Blood Pressure 2
Monitoring 3
FOR the purpose of requiring, beginning on a certain date, the Maryland Medical 4
Assistance Program to provide coverage for self–measured blood pressure 5
monitoring for certain eligible Program recipients; requiring the Program to develop 6
and implement a certain education campaign; and generally relating to 7
self–measured blood pressure monitoring under the Maryland Medical Assistance 8
Program. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 15–101(h), (j), and (l) and 15–103(a)(1) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Health – General 16
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxiii) and (xxiv) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 19
BY adding to 20
Article – Health – General 21
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxv) and 15–141.6 22
Annotated Code of Maryland 23
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 24
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 25
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 26
2 HOUSE BILL 553
Article – Health – General 1
15–101. 2
(h) “Program” means the Maryland Medical Assistance Program. 3
(j) “Self–measured blood pressure monitoring” means the regular measurement 4
of blood pressure by the patient outside the clinical setting, either at home or elsewhere, 5
requiring the use of a home blood pressure measurement device by the patient. 6
(l) “Validated home blood pressure monitor” means a blood pressure 7
measurement device that has been validated for accuracy and is listed in the U.S. Blood 8
Pressure Validated Device Listing. 9
15–103. 10
(a) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Maryland Medical Assistance 11
Program. 12
(2) The Program: 13
(xxiii) Beginning on July 1, 2025, shall provide, subject to the 14
limitations of the State budget, and as permitted by federal law, coverage for biomarker 15
testing in accordance with § 15–859 of the Insurance Article; [and] 16
(xxiv) Beginning on January 1, 2025, shall provide coverage for 17
prostheses in accordance with § 15–844 of the Insurance Article; AND 18
(XXV) BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2026, SHALL PROVIDE , 19
SUBJECT TO THE LIMITAT IONS OF THE STATE BUDGET , AND AS PERMITTED BY 20
FEDERAL LAW , COVERAGE FOR SELF –MEASURED BLOOD PRESS URE MONITORING 21
FOR ELIGIBLE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 15–141.6 OF THIS 22
SUBTITLE. 23
15–141.6. 24
(A) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE FOLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 25
INDICATED. 26
(2) “ELIGIBLE PROGRAM RECIPIENT ” MEANS A PROGRAM 27
RECIPIENT WHO : 28
(I) IS PREGNANT; 29
(II) IS POSTPARTUM ; OR 30 HOUSE BILL 553 3
(III) HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WI TH: 1
1. CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEAS E; 2
2. DIABETES; 3
3. HEART DISEASE; OR 4
4. A CARDIOMETABOLIC DISE ASE. 5
(3) “HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ” MEANS: 6
(I) A PERSON WHO IS LICENS ED, CERTIFIED, OR OTHERWISE 7
AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ARTICLE TO PROVIDE HE ALTH 8
CARE IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINESS O R PRACTICE OF A PROFES SION, OR 9
IN AN APPROVED EDUCA TION OR TRAINING PRO GRAM; OR 10
(II) A COMMUNITY HEALTH WOR KER CERTIFIED UNDER TITLE 11
13, SUBTITLE 37 OF THIS ARTICLE. 12
(B) THE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR SELF –MEASURED 13
BLOOD PRESSURE MONIT ORING FO R ALL ELIGIBLE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS , 14
INCLUDING: 15
(1) THE PROVISION OF VALI DATED HOME BLOOD PRE SSURE 16
MONITORS; AND 17
(2) REIMBURSEMENT OF HEAL TH CARE PROVIDER AND OTHER STAFF 18
TIME USED FOR PATIEN T TRAINING, TRANSMISSION OF BLOO D PRESSURE DATA , 19
INTERPRETATI ON OF BLOOD PRESSURE READINGS AND REPORTI NG, REMOTE 20
PATIENT MONITORING , AND THE DELIVERY OF CO–INTERVENTIONS , INCLUDING 21
EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL S OR CLASSES. 22
(C) THE PROGRAM SHALL DEVELOP AND IM PLEMENT AN EDUCATION 23
CAMPAIGN TO INFORM E LIGIBLE PROGRAM RECIPIE NTS AND HEALTH CARE 24
PROVIDERS ABOUT THE BENEFITS AND USAGE O F BLOOD PRESSURE MON ITORING 25
TECHNOLOGY AND THE A VAILABILITY OF ASSIS TANCE WITH SETUP AND 26
TROUBLESHOOTING . 27
(D) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2027, THE 28
DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A REPORT TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND 29
THE HOUSE HEALTH AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, IN 30 4 HOUSE BILL 553
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THAT 1
INCLUDES: 2
(1) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF E LIGIBLE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS WH O 3
RECEIVED BLOOD PRESS URE MONITORS UNDER THIS SECTION DURING THE 4
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G 12–MONTH PERIOD ; 5
(2) THE OUTCOMES ASSOCIAT ED WITH THE USE OF T HE HOME BLOOD 6
PRESSURE MONITORS UN DER THIS SECTION ; AND 7
(3) ANY COST SAVINGS ACHI EVED BY THE PROGRAM DURING THE 8
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEA R ASSOCIATED WITH TH E USE OF THE HOME 9
BLOOD PRESSURE MONIT ORS DISTRIBUTED IN A CCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION. 10
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 11
1, 2025. 12