SB 876

Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity

Sponsor: Stephen S. Hershey, Jr. (District 36)Committee: FinanceSubject: Public HealthStatus: Hearing 3/04 at 1:00 p.m. (as of Dec 1, 2025)

What this bill does

Official synopsis

Requiring, beginning on July 1, 2026, the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide comprehensive coverage for the treatment of obesity; and requiring the Maryland Department of Health to provide notice to Program recipients of the coverage requirements.

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Testimony (0)

MGA witness list

FAV 16FavorableFWA 2Favorable with amendmentsUNF 1UnfavorableINFO 1Information only

Position	Witness	Organization	Testimony
FAV	Billger, Monica	American Diabetes Association	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Jackson, Candacé	Greater Baltimore Urban League	Written (PDF)
FAV	Rajagopal, Selvi	Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine	Written (PDF)
FAV	Kress, Williamlobbyist	Kress Hammen	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Murphy, JD	MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Nimgaonkar, Ashish	The Johns Hopkins Hospital	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Duke, Malinda	The Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland (NPAM)	Written (PDF)
FAV	Blankenship, Jeanne	The Obesity Society	Oral
FAV	Patel, Mihir	University of Maryland School of Medicine	Oral + Written (PDF)
FAV	Carrington, rhonda	sb876	Oral
FAV	CHAUDHRY, ZOOBIA	Individual	Oral
FAV	Elliott, Robynlobbyist	Individual	Position only
FAV	Lang, Alan	Individual	Position only
FAV	Magge, Sheela	Individual	Oral
FAV	Massie, Nikki	Individual	Oral
FAV	Senator Hershey, Senator Hersheylegislator	Individual	Oral
UNF	Meyerovich, Mark	Individual	Position only
FWA	Cross, Dr Cashenna A	Councilwoman At-Large, Glenarden	Oral
FWA	Hoffstein, Barbara	Maryland Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics	Oral + Written (PDF)
INFO	Lynch, Meghan	Maryland Department of Health	Written (PDF)

Organizations on record

American Diabetes AssociationFAV 1

Councilwoman At-Large, GlenardenFWA 1

Greater Baltimore Urban LeagueFAV 1

Johns Hopkins University School of MedicineFAV 1

Kress HammenFAV 1

Maryland Academy of Nutrition and DieteticsFWA 1

Maryland Department of HealthINFO 1

MD Chesapeake Chapter of the National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP)FAV 1

sb876FAV 1

The Johns Hopkins HospitalFAV 1

The Nurse Practitioner Association of Maryland (NPAM)FAV 1

The Obesity SocietyFAV 1

University of Maryland School of MedicineFAV 1

Registered lobbyists who testified

FAVKress, WilliamKress HammenRegistered for: Alliance for Automotive Innovation; Amazon.com Services, LLC; Apple Inc.; Boyd Gaming Corporation; Centers for Better Insurance, LLC; Coalition of Maryland Title Insurers…

FAVElliott, RobynRegistered for: American Association for Marriage and Family Therapists; Amica Center for Immigrant Rights; CareForth; Chase Brexton Health System; Coordinating Center, The; Diabetes Patient Advocacy Coalition…