In his inaugural address, our new, history-making governor, Wes Moore, outlined his vision to make Maryland the safest and healthiest state in the nation.

This is a goal we all share and one that our fieldwide advocacy agenda will help us reach. The beginning of the Moore administration has been marked by enthusiasm and a fresh energy that many of you experienced at the celebrations surrounding Gov. Moore’s swearing-in.

Less than two weeks into this new leadership, we are optimistic about opportunities for partnership.

We are pleased Dr. Laura Herrera Scott was nominated as Secretary of Health and we will strongly support her through confirmation and onboarding.

We’ve already put some of our most urgent challenges—and ideas for solving them—before the Moore administration and relevant legislative committees. We expect to see outcomes that benefit your hospitals and health systems and the people you serve.

One early sign is Gov. Moore’s inclusion of some of our key asks in his fiscal year 2024 budget proposal. That includes a $50-million cut to the Medicaid deficit assessment. This one-time reduction is needed to lessen your cost of other corrective actions taken by the Health Services Cost Review Commission.

The proposed budget also incorporates investments in the field’s top priority: strengthening our hospital workforce with additional funding for loan repayment assistance for physicians and nurses.

We look forward to protecting these investments during the General Assembly’s budget process and continuing to collaborate with Gov. Moore and his team to improve health care and the health of Marylanders.

Bob Atlas
President & CEO