EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MAT TER ADDED TO EXISTIN G LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0094*
SENATE BILL 94
J1 5lr1471
(PRE–FILED)
By: Senator Ellis
Requested: October 29, 2024
Introduced and read first time: January 8, 2025
Assigned to: Finance
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 SENATE BILL 94
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 T HE LIMITATIONS OF TH E 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
SENATE BILL 94 3
(II) IS POSTPARTUM ; OR 1
(III) HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED WI TH: 2
1. CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEAS E; 3
2. DIABETES; 4
3. HEART DISEASE; OR 5
4. A CARDIOMETABOLIC DISE ASE. 6
(3) “HEALTH CARE PROVIDER ” MEANS: 7
(I) A PERSON WHO IS LICENS ED, CERTIFIED, OR OTHERWISE 8
AUTHORIZED UNDER THE HEALTH OCCUPATIONS ARTICLE TO PROVIDE HE ALTH 9
CARE IN THE ORDINARY COURSE OF BUSINES S OR PRACTICE OF A P ROFESSION, OR 10
IN AN APPROVED EDUCA TION OR TRAINING PRO GRAM; OR 11
(II) A COMMUNITY HEALTH WOR KER CERTIFIED UNDER TITLE 12
13, SUBTITLE 37 OF THIS ARTICLE. 13
(B) THE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR SELF–MEASURED 14
BLOOD PRESSURE MONIT ORING FOR ALL ELIGIBLE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS , 15
INCLUDING: 16
(1) THE PROVISION OF VALI DATED HOME BLOOD PRE SSURE 17
MONITORS; AND 18
(2) REIMBURSEMENT OF HEAL TH CARE PROVIDER AND OTHER STAFF 19
TIME USED FOR PATIEN T TRAINING, TRANSMISSION OF BLO OD PRESSURE DATA , 20
INTERPRETATION OF BL OOD PRESSURE READING S AND REPORTING , REMOTE 21
PATIENT MONITORING , AND THE DELIVERY OF CO–INTERVENTIONS , INCLUDING 22
EDUCATIONAL MATERIAL S OR CLASSES. 23
(C) THE PROGRAM SHALL DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT AN EDUCATION 24
CAMPAIGN TO INFORM ELIGIBLE PROGRAM RECIPIENTS AND HEALTH CARE 25
PROVIDERS ABOUT THE BENEFITS A ND USAGE OF BLOOD PR ESSURE MONITORING 26
TECHNOLOGY AND THE AVAILABILITY OF ASSISTANCE WITH SETUP AND 27
TROUBLESHOOTING . 28
(D) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR, BEGINNING IN 2027, THE 29
DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A REPORT TO THE SENATE FINANCE COMMITTEE AND 30 4 SENATE BILL 94
THE HOUSE HEALTH AND GOVERNMENT OPERATIONS COMMITTEE, IN 1
ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, THAT 2
INCLUDES: 3
(1) THE TOTAL NUMBER OF ELIGIBLE PROGRAM RE CIPIENTS WHO 4
RECEIVED BLOOD PRESSURE MONIT ORS UNDER THIS SECTION DURING THE 5
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G 12–MONTH PERIOD ; 6
(2) THE OUTCOMES ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF THE HOME BLOOD 7
PRESSURE MONITORS UNDER THIS SECTION ; AND 8
(3) ANY COST SAVINGS ACHIEVED BY THE PROGRAM DURING THE 9
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDIN G FISCAL YEAR ASSOCIATED WITH THE USE OF THE HOME 10
BLOOD PRESSURE MONIT ORS DISTRIBUTED IN A CCORDANCE WITH THIS SECTION. 11
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect July 12
1, 2025. 13