Maryland 2025 Regular Session

Maryland House Bill HB871 Compare Versions

Version 1 (Old)

Version 2 (New)

Old	New		Differences
1	1
2	2
3	3		EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
4	4		[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
5	5		Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
6	6		Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
7	7		amendment.
8		-	Italics indicate opposite chamber/conference committee amendments.
9	8		hb0871
10	9
11	10		HOUSE BILL 871
12		-	J3 (5lr2372)
13		-	ENROLLED BILL
14		-	— Health and Government Operations/Finance —
15		-	Introduced by Delegates Bagnall, Cullison, Hill, and Pena–Melnyk Pena–Melnyk,
16		-	Alston, Bhandari, Chisholm, Guzzone, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaiser,
17		-	Kerr, Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan, Reilly, Rosenberg, Szeliga,
18		-	Taveras, Woods, Woorman, and Ross
	11	+	J3 5lr2372
19	12
20		-	Read and Examined by Proofreaders:
21		-
22		-	_______________________________________________
23		-	Proofreader.
24		-	_______________________________________________
25		-	Proofreader.
26		-
27		-	Sealed with the Great Seal and presented to the Governor, for his approval this
28		-
29		-	_______ day of _______________ at ________________________ o’clock, ________M.
30		-
31		-	______________________________________________
32		-	Speaker.
	13	+	By: Delegates Bagnall, Cullison, Hill, and Pena–Melnyk Pena–Melnyk, Alston,
	14	+	Bhandari, Chisholm, Guzzone, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaiser, Kerr,
	15	+	Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan, Reilly, Rosenberg, Szeliga, Taveras,
	16	+	Woods, Woorman, and Ross
	17	+	Introduced and read first time: January 30, 2025
	18	+	Assigned to: Health and Government Operations
	19	+	Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
	20	+	House action: Adopted
	21	+	Read second time: March 3, 2025
33	22
34	23		CHAPTER ______
35	24
36	25		AN ACT concerning 1
37	26
38	27		Health Services Cost Review Commission – Community Benefits – Community 2
39	28		Health Worker Workforce Program 3
40	29
41	30		FOR the purpose of altering the definition of “community benefit” to include a certain 4
42	31		community health worker workforce program; authorizing a nonprofit hospital and 5
43	32		a community–based organization to establish through a memorandum of 6
44	33		understanding a community health worker workforce program to provide a 7
45		-	community benefit; providing that a partnership that establishes a community health 8
46		-	worker workforce program may be executed through a memorandum of 9
47		-	understanding; establishing requirements for the memorandum of understanding; 10
48		-	requiring authorizing a partnership that establishes a community health worker 11
49		-	workforce program to provide health insurance to certain individuals under certain 12 2 HOUSE BILL 871
	34	+	community benefit; establishing requirements for the memorandum of 8
	35	+	understanding; requiring authorizing a partnership that establishes a community 9
	36	+	health worker workforce program to provide health insurance to certain individuals 10
	37	+	under certain circumstances; and generally relating to community health worker 11
	38	+	workforce programs. 12
	39	+
	40	+	BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
	41	+	Article – Health – General 14
	42	+	Section 13–3701(a) and (c) 15
	43	+	Annotated Code of Maryland 16
	44	+	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
	45	+
	46	+	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
	47	+	Article – Health – General 19
	48	+	Section 19–303(a) 20 2 HOUSE BILL 871
50	49
51	50
52		-	~~circumstances; and generally relating to community health worker workforce~~ 1
53		-	~~programs.~~ 2
	51	+	Annotated Code of Maryland 1
	52	+	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 2
54	53
55		-	BY ~~repealing and reenacting, without amendments,~~ 3
	54	+	BY adding to 3
56	55		Article – Health – General 4
57		-	Section 13–~~3701(a) and (c)~~ 5
	56	+	Section 19–303.1 5
58	57		Annotated Code of Maryland 6
59	58		(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 7
60	59
61		-	BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 8
62		-	Article – Health – General 9
63		-	Section 19–303(a) 10
64		-	Annotated Code of Maryland 11
65		-	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 12
	60	+	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 8
	61	+	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 9
66	62
67		-	BY adding to 13
68		-	Article – Health – General 14
69		-	Section 19–303.1 15
70		-	Annotated Code of Maryland 16
71		-	(2023 Replacement Volume and 2024 Supplement) 17
	63	+	Article – Health – General 10
72	64
73		-	SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 18
74		-	That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 19
	65	+	13–3701. 11
75	66
76		-	~~Article – Health – General 20~~
	67	+	(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 12
77	68
78		-	13~~–3701. 21~~
	69	+	(c) “Community health worker” means a frontline public health worker who: 13
79	70
80		-	(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 22
	71	+	(1) Is a trusted member of, or has an unusually close understanding of, the 14
	72	+	community being served; 15
81	73
82		-	(c) “Community health worker” means a frontline public health worker who: 23
	74	+	(2) Serves as a liaison to, link to, or intermediary between health and social 16
	75	+	services and the community to: 17
83	76
84		-	(1) Is a trusted member of, or has an unusually close understanding of, the 24
85		-	community being served; 25
	77	+	(i) Facilitate access to services; and 18
86	78
87		-	(2) ~~Serves as a liaison to, link to, or intermediary between health~~ and ~~social 26~~
88		-	~~services~~ and ~~the community to: 27~~
	79	+	(ii) Improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery; 19
	80	+	and 20
89	81
90		-	(i) Facilitate access to services; and 28
	82	+	(3) Builds individual and community capacity by increasing health 21
	83	+	knowledge and self–sufficiency through a range of activities, including: 22
91	84
92		-	(ii) Improve the quality and cultural competence of service delivery; 29
93		-	and 30
	85	+	(i) Outreach; 23
94	86
95		-	(3) Builds individual and community capacity by increasing health 31
96		-	knowledge and self–sufficiency through a range of activities, including: 32
	87	+	(ii) Community education; 24
97	88
98		-	(i) Outreach; 33 HOUSE BILL 871 3
	89	+	(iii) The provision of information to support individuals in the 25
	90	+	community; 26
	91	+
	92	+	(iv) Social support; and 27
	93	+
	94	+	(v) Advocacy. 28
	95	+
	96	+	19–303. 29
	97	+	HOUSE BILL 871 3
	98	+
	99	+
	100	+	(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 1
	101	+
	102	+	(2) “Commission” means the Health Services Cost Review Commission. 2
	103	+
	104	+	(3) (i) “Community benefit” means a planned, organized, and measured 3
	105	+	activity that is intended to meet identified community health needs within a service area. 4
	106	+
	107	+	(ii) “Community benefit” may include: 5
	108	+
	109	+	1. A community health service; 6
	110	+
	111	+	2. Health professional education; 7
	112	+
	113	+	3. Research; 8
	114	+
	115	+	4. A financial contribution; 9
	116	+
	117	+	5. A community–building activity, including partnerships 10
	118	+	with community–based organizations; 11
	119	+
	120	+	6. Charity care; 12
	121	+
	122	+	7. An activity described under subparagraph (i) of this 13
	123	+	paragraph that is funded by a foundation; 14
	124	+
	125	+	8. A mission–driven health service; 15
	126	+
	127	+	9. An operation related to an activity described under 16
	128	+	subparagraph (i) of this paragraph; [and] 17
	129	+
	130	+	10. Financial or in–kind support of the Maryland Behavioral 18
	131	+	Health Crisis Response System; AND 19
	132	+
	133	+	11. A COMMUNITY HEALTH WOR KER WORKFORCE 20
	134	+	PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 19–303.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 21
	135	+
	136	+	(4) “Community Benefit Reporting Workgroup” means the Community 22
	137	+	Benefit Reporting Workgroup established in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. 23
	138	+
	139	+	(5) “Community health needs assessment” means the process required by 24
	140	+	the Affordable Care Act by which unmet community health care needs and priorities are 25
	141	+	identified by a nonprofit hospital in accordance with § 501(r)(3) of the Internal Revenue 26
	142	+	Code. 27
	143	+
	144	+	19–303.1. 28
	145	+	4 HOUSE BILL 871
	146	+
	147	+
	148	+	(A) IN THIS SECTION, “COMMUNITY HEALTH WOR KER” HAS THE MEANING 1
	149	+	STATED IN § 13–3701 OF THIS ARTICLE. 2
	150	+
	151	+	(B) (1) A COMMUNITY BENEFIT UN DER § 19–303 OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY 3
	152	+	INCLUDE A PARTNERSHI P BETWEEN A NONPROFI T HOSPITAL AND A 4
	153	+	COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION T O ESTABLISH A COMMUN ITY HEALTH WORKER 5
	154	+	WORKFORCE PROGRAM . 6
	155	+
	156	+	(2) THE PRIMARY PURPOSE O F A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER 7
	157	+	WORKFORCE PROGRAM SH ALL BE TO PROVIDE SE RVICES TO PATIENTS O F A 8
	158	+	NONPROFIT HOSPITAL T HAT ARE INTENDED TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCO MES AND 9
	159	+	ADDRESS SOCIAL DETER MINANTS OF HEALTH . 10
	160	+
	161	+	(C) (1) A PARTNERSHIP ESTABLIS HED UNDER THIS SECTI ON SHALL BE 11
	162	+	EXECUTED THROUGH A MEMORANDUM OF UNDERS TANDING BETWEEN A 12
	163	+	NONPROFIT HOSPITAL A ND A COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION . 13
	164	+
	165	+	(2) THE MEMORANDUM OF UND ERSTANDING SHALL INC LUDE: 14
	166	+
	167	+	(I) THE PROGRAM DESIGN ; 15
	168	+
	169	+	(II) GOALS FOR PATIENT HEA LTH OUTCOMES ; 16
	170	+
	171	+	(III) IMPLEMENTATION PROCED URES; 17
	172	+
	173	+	(IV) CRITERIA FOR EVALUATI ON AND IMPACT MEASUR EMENT; 18
	174	+
	175	+	(V) DATA COLLECTION , MANAGEMENT , AND REPORTING 19
	176	+	STANDARDS AND PROTOC OLS THAT ARE IN ACCO RDANCE WITH APPLICAB LE 20
	177	+	FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS , INCLUDING THE FEDERA L HEALTH 21
	178	+	INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT; AND 22
	179	+
	180	+	(VI) AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NONPROFIT HOSPIT AL AND 23
	181	+	THE COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION I DENTIFYING WHICH PAR TY WILL BE 24
	182	+	RESPONSIBLE FOR : 25
	183	+
	184	+	1. RECRUITING AND EMPLOY ING THE COMMUNITY 26
	185	+	HEALTH WORKER WORKFO RCE; 27
	186	+
	187	+	2. SUPERVISING THE WORKF ORCE IN THE SETTINGS IN 28
	188	+	WHICH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO PATIENTS; 29
	189	+
	190	+	3. TRAINING THE WORKFORC E; AND 30
	191	+	HOUSE BILL 871 5
	192	+
	193	+
	194	+	4. PROVIDING EMPLOYER –SPONSORED HEALTH 1
	195	+	INSURANCE COVERAGE T O EACH COMMUNITY HEA LTH WORKER . 2
	196	+
	197	+	(D) A PARTNERSHIP ESTABLIS HED UNDER THIS SECTI ON SHALL MAY 3
	198	+	PROVIDE HEALTH INSUR ANCE COVERAGE TO EAC H COMMUNITY HEALTH W ORKER 4
	199	+	FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM IF THE I NDIVIDUAL DOES NOT H AVE HEALTH 5
	200	+	INSURANCE COVERAGE A ND REQUESTS COVERAGE . 6
	201	+
	202	+	(E) A NONPROFIT HOS PITAL AND A COMMUNIT Y–BASED ORGANIZATION 7
	203	+	MAY COLLABORATE TO I DENTIFY FINANCIAL RE SOURCES TO ADDRESS C OSTS 8
	204	+	ASSOCIATED WITH INCR EASING ADMINISTRATIV E CAPACITY WITHIN TH E 9
	205	+	COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION N ECESSARY TO PARTICIP ATE IN THE 10
	206	+	PARTNERSHIP . 11
	207	+
	208	+	(F) SUBJECT TO OTHER PROV ISIONS OF LAW GOVERN ING COMMUNITY 12
	209	+	BENEFITS AND ON THE AGREEMENT OF THE PAR TIES, A NONPROFIT HOSPITAL MAY 13
	210	+	PROVIDE FINANCIAL SU PPORT TO A COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION T O COVER 14
	211	+	THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASING ADMI NISTRATIVE CAPACITY WITHIN THE 15
	212	+	COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION N ECESSARY TO PARTICIP ATE IN THE 16
	213	+	PARTNERSHIP . 17
	214	+
	215	+	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 18
	216	+	October 1, 2025. 19
99	217
100	218
101	219
102		-	(ii) Community education; 1
103	220
104		-	(iii) The provision of information to support individuals in the 2
105		-	community; 3
106		-
107		-	(iv) Social support; and 4
108		-
109		-	(v) Advocacy. 5
110		-
111		-	19–303. 6
112		-
113		-	(a) (1) In this section the following words have the meanings indicated. 7
114		-
115		-	(2) “Commission” means the Health Services Cost Review Commission. 8
116		-
117		-	(3) (i) “Community benefit” means a planned, organized, and measured 9
118		-	activity that is intended to meet identified community health needs within a service area. 10
119		-
120		-	(ii) “Community benefit” may include: 11
121		-
122		-	1. A community health service; 12
123		-
124		-	2. Health professional education; 13
125		-
126		-	3. Research; 14
127		-
128		-	4. A financial contribution; 15
129		-
130		-	5. A community–building activity, including partnerships 16
131		-	with community–based organizations; 17
132		-
133		-	6. Charity care; 18
134		-
135		-	7. An activity described under subparagraph (i) of this 19
136		-	paragraph that is funded by a foundation; 20
137		-
138		-	8. A mission–driven health service; 21
139		-
140		-	9. An operation related to an activity described under 22
141		-	subparagraph (i) of this paragraph; [and] 23
142		-
143		-	10. Financial or in–kind support of the Maryland Behavioral 24
144		-	Health Crisis Response System; AND 25
145		-	4 HOUSE BILL 871
146		-
147		-
148		-	11. A COMMUNITY HEALTH WOR KER WORKFORCE 1
149		-	PROGRAM ESTABLISHED IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 19–303.1 OF THIS SUBTITLE . 2
150		-
151		-	(4) “Community Benefit Reporting Workgroup” means the Community 3
152		-	Benefit Reporting Workgroup established in accordance with subsection (b) of this section. 4
153		-
154		-	(5) “Community health needs assessment” means the process required by 5
155		-	the Affordable Care Act by which unmet community health care needs and priorities are 6
156		-	identified by a nonprofit hospital in accordance with § 501(r)(3) of the Internal Revenue 7
157		-	Code. 8
158		-
159		-	19–303.1. 9
160		-
161		-	(A) IN THIS SECTION, “COMMUNITY HEALTH WOR KER” HAS THE MEANING 10
162		-	STATED IN § 13–3701 OF THIS ARTICLE. 11
163		-
164		-	(B) (1) A COMMUNITY BENEFIT UN DER § 19–303 OF THIS SUBTITLE MAY 12
165		-	INCLUDE A PARTNERSHI P BETWEEN A NONPROFI T HOSPITAL AND A 13
166		-	COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION T O ESTABLISH A COMMUN ITY HEALTH WORKER 14
167		-	WORKFORCE PROGRAM . 15
168		-
169		-	(2) THE PRIMARY PURPOSE O F A COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKER 16
170		-	WORKFORCE PROGRAM SH ALL BE TO PROVIDE SE RVICES TO PATIENTS O F A 17
171		-	NONPROFIT HOSPITAL T HAT ARE INTENDED TO IMPROVE HEALTH OUTCO MES AND 18
172		-	ADDRESS SOCIAL DETER MINANTS OF HEALTH . 19
173		-
174		-	(C) (1) A PARTNERSHIP ESTABLIS HED UNDER THIS SECTION SHALL MAY 20
175		-	BE EXECUTED THROUGH A MEMORANDUM OF UNDE RSTANDING BETWEEN A 21
176		-	NONPROFIT HOSPITAL A ND A COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION . 22
177		-
178		-	(2) THE MEMORANDUM OF UND ERSTANDING SHALL INC LUDE: 23
179		-
180		-	(I) THE PROGRAM DESIGN ; 24
181		-
182		-	(II) GOALS FOR PATIENT H EALTH OUTCOMES ; 25
183		-
184		-	(III) IMPLEMENTATION PROCED URES; 26
185		-
186		-	(IV) CRITERIA FOR EVALUATI ON AND IMPACT MEASUR EMENT; 27
187		-
188		-	(V) DATA COLLECTION , MANAGEMENT , AND REPORTING 28
189		-	STANDARDS AND PROTOC OLS THAT ARE IN ACCO RDANCE WITH APPLICAB LE 29
190		-	FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND REGULATIONS , INCLUDING THE FEDERA L HEALTH 30
191		-	INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND ACCOUNTABILITY ACT; AND 31
192		-	HOUSE BILL 871 5
193		-
194		-
195		-	(VI) AN AGREEMENT BETWEEN THE NONPROFIT HOSPIT AL AND 1
196		-	THE COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION I DENTIFYING WHICH PAR TY WILL BE 2
197		-	RESPONSIBLE FOR : 3
198		-
199		-	1. RECRUITING AND EM PLOYING THE COMMUNIT Y 4
200		-	HEALTH WORKER WORKFO RCE; 5
201		-
202		-	2. SUPERVISING THE WORKF ORCE IN THE SETTINGS IN 6
203		-	WHICH THE COMMUNITY HEALTH WORKERS WILL PROVIDE SERVICES TO PATIENTS; 7
204		-
205		-	3. TRAINING THE WORKFORC E; AND 8
206		-
207		-	4. PROVIDING EMPLOYER –SPONSORED HEALTH 9
208		-	INSURANCE COVERAGE TO EACH COMMUNITY HEALTH WOR KER. 10
209		-
210		-	(D) A PARTNERSHIP ESTABLIS HED UNDER THIS SECTI ON SHALL MAY 11
211		-	PROVIDE HEALTH INSUR ANCE COVERAGE TO EAC H COMMUNITY HEALTH W ORKER 12
212		-	FOR THE DURATION OF THE PROGRAM IF THE I NDIVIDUAL DOES NOT H AVE HEALTH 13
213		-	INSURANCE C OVERAGE AND REQUESTS COVERAGE. 14
214		-
215		-	(E) A NONPROFIT HOSPITAL A ND A COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION 15
216		-	MAY COLLABORATE TO I DENTIFY FINANCIAL RE SOURCES TO ADDRESS C OSTS 16
217		-	ASSOCIATED WITH INCR EASING ADMINISTRATIV E CAPACITY WITHIN TH E 17
218		-	COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION N ECESSARY TO PARTICIP ATE IN THE 18
219		-	PARTNERSHIP . 19
220		-
221		-	(F) SUBJECT TO OTHER PROV ISIONS OF LAW GOVERN ING COMMUNITY 20
222		-	BENEFITS AND ON THE AGREEMENT OF THE PAR TIES, A NONPROFIT HOSPITAL MAY 21
223		-	PROVIDE FINANCIAL SU PPORT TO A COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION T O COVER 22
224		-	THE COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH INCREASING ADMI NISTRATIVE CAPACITY WITHIN THE 23
225		-	COMMUNITY –BASED ORGANIZATION N ECESSARY TO PARTICIP ATE IN THE 24
226		-	PARTNERSHIP . 25
227		-
228		-	SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 26
229		-	October 1, 2025. 27
	221	+	Approved:
	222	+	________________________________________________________________________________
	223	+	Governor.
	224	+	________________________________________________________________________________
	225	+	Speaker of the House of Delegates.
	226	+	________________________________________________________________________________
	227	+	President of the Senate.