Lt. Governor Brown Responds to Partisan Attempts to Weaken Maryland's Commitment to Improve Care, Lower Costs and Expand Coverage
ANNAPOLIS, Md. (February 17, 2010) – Lt. Governor Anthony G. Brown released the following statement today in response to the Maryland Republican Caucus’ partisan attempt to weaken the state’s commitment to improve the quality of care, lower costs and expand access:
“It’s disheartening that our colleagues in government have chosen to put politics ahead of our neighbors’ health. The Governor and I, along with most members of the Maryland General Assembly and most of our citizens across the state, are committed to improving the quality of care, lowering costs and expanding access to coverage for everyone. We’ve embraced federal reform and have made a determined effort to build a national model for its implementation. And because of that, federal reform will save Maryland $850 million and cut the number of uninsured Marylanders in half by 2020.
“Health reform isn’t about reform or politics or party label. It’s about health. Any effort to weaken our shared commitment to strengthening our health care system for quick political gain is reckless. I will continue to work with members of the General Assembly, stakeholders, providers and patients to ensure that we reach our goal of being the healthiest state in America.”
Brown leads the O’Malley-Brown administration’s health care portfolio. He co-chairs the Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council (HCRCC) and the Maryland Health Quality and Cost Council. According to research by the independent Hilltop Institute, the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) will save Maryland $850 million and cut the number of Marylanders living without health insurance in half by 2020. Maryland has received over $100 million in federal grants for the implementation of the ACA, including a $6.2 million grant from the Department of Health and Human Services for the front end of the health exchange. Parts of the ACA have already been enacted, including the elimination of lifetime dollar limits on insurance coverage and a ban on excluding children from coverage because of a preexisting condition.
This session, Lt. Governor Brown is championing three bills to expand access, improve the quality of care and lower costs.
- Improve Access – Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Act of 2011(HB 166/SB 182): This bill establishes a structure and framework to develop the insurance exchange required by the Affordable Care Act. The exchange will provide individuals and small businesses one-stop shopping for affordable insurance options; help an estimated 180,000 low-income Marylanders access federal subsidies for coverage; support small business access to affordable coverage; and allow private insurers to offer competitive plans in a fair and transparent marketplace where consumers will be able to compare rates, benefits, and quality to find plans that best suit their needs.
- Improve Quality – Health Insurance Reforms (HB 170/SB 183): This bill aligns Maryland law with the consumer protections in the Affordable Care Act, including the provisions that bar exclusions from insurance based on pre-existing conditions and lifetime limits on benefits, requirements that insurance companies cover certain preventive services like mammograms and flu shots, and the provision that allows young adults to stay on their parents’ policies until age 26.
- Lowering Costs – Health Quality and Cost Council (HB 165/SB 175): This legislation will establish the Council in law and expand the state’s successful effort to bring public agencies and the private sector together to improve the quality and reduce the cost of health care in Maryland.
Since taking office in 2007, the O’Malley-Brown administration has championed efforts that have expanded health care coverage to 250,000 Marylanders, provided small businesses with incentives to provide coverage for employees, expanded dental care to low income children and launched initiatives, including the Patient Centered Medical Home pilot and the Healthiest Maryland program, aimed to promote wellness and preventive care.
