State Advocacy
MHA and our members support policies that reflect the values of hospitals and communities as we work together to build healthy hospitals and healthy communities.
MHA 2026 Legislative Priorities
Maryland hospitals care for patients 24/7/365. To sustain access to care in every community, state policy must support hospital stability, a strong workforce, and fair payment practices. The care Marylanders rely on takes all of us.
In 2026, MHA asks the General Assembly to advance policies that strengthen hospital operations and protect access to care. MHA members identified key legislative priorities in 2026:
Ensure Fair Payment for Emergency Care
Stop Emergency Department Denials and Downcoding
- Prohibit downcoding of ED claims based on final diagnosis and strengthen notice, review, and enforcement
Support Maryland’s Hospital Workforce
Oppose Mandated Hospital-Wide Staffing Committees
- Reject one-size-fits-all mandates
- Recognize hospitals’ statewide voluntary staffing commitments
Add a Hospital Representative to the Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC)
- Add a designated hospital representative to ensure acute care needs are considered to provide balanced input and support practical implementation
Support a Successful Transition to the AHEAD Model
Preserve Access to Care for All Maryland Communities
- Ensure that hospitals have sufficient resources to provide critical care 24/7/365.
Protect Patient Care from Rising Legal and Insurance Costs
Defend Maryland’s Medical Liability Framework
- Oppose efforts to weaken caps on noneconomic damages and support transparency and consumer protections for third-party litigation funding
Maryland General Assembly Testimony
Throughout the General Assembly session, MHA offers its positions and comments on various issues and pending legislation affecting Maryland’s patients and communities, hospitals and health systems, and health policy.
