Panel re‑creates Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission; committee debate centers on scope and membership

The Health and Government Operations Committee voted to pass House Bill 718, which reestablishes the Maryland Health Insurance Coverage Protection Commission. The commission will monitor potential and actual federal changes to the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, the Maryland Children's Health Program, Medicare and the Maryland All‑Payer Model and make recommendations to preserve access to affordable coverage.

The committee adopted amendments that add monitoring of the federal Mental Health Parity and Addiction Equity Act and add representatives from the Maryland Health Benefit Exchange (MHBE) and the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) to the commission's membership. Supporters said the commission is broader than any single agency — HSCRC's scope, they argued, is largely limited to hospital financing — and that a multi‑agency, legislative commission better protects the state from federal changes.

Committee discussion focused on the commission's role versus existing agencies, prior experience with a similar commission in 2019–2020 and the need for a recurring monthly forum. Supporters described past commissions as producing legislative proposals and said the group should include legislative members, the Secretary of Health, the Maryland Insurance Administration and other stakeholders. Several members expressed concern about redundancy and whether HSCRC could cover the work; sponsors responded that HSCRC is only one piece of a larger system and that the expanded commission membership addresses that limitation.

The bill passed the committee as amended and will proceed to subsequent legislative steps. Several delegates recorded opposition on the floor vote in committee.