HGO committee holds hearings on OTC birth control coverage, insurer rules, licensing compacts and aging programs

The Health and Government Operations Committee, chaired by Jocelyn Pena Milnek, held a series of bill hearings on measures affecting birth control access, insurance coverage rules, professional licensure compacts and programs for older Marylanders. Testimony came from bill sponsors, legislative representatives and agency officials; the committee concluded each hearing without recording a floor vote during this session.

Maryland-led OTC birth control implementation: Committee members heard sponsor testimony on Senate Bill 674, which would create a collaborative to implement Maryland’s existing requirements for coverage of over‑the‑counter (OTC) birth control. Corinne Wissman, testifying on behalf of Senator Hettleman, told the committee that "by 2024, only 139 claims for OTC emergency contraception were covered in nearly 2 years and just 4 claims for O pill, a new daily over‑the‑counter birth control pill in just 8 months." She said the collaborative would bring together state agencies, consumer representatives, pharmacies and insurers to develop guidance on claim submissions, raise consumer and provider awareness, and create pathways for community partners to provide OTC birth control to the uninsured. Wissman…