Montgomery Cares advisory board asks county to raise clinic reimbursement rates, expand pediatric dental capacity and add perinatal bilingual staff

The Montgomery Cares Advisory Board presented five program-specific priorities to the Health and Human Services Committee aimed at strengthening the county—s safety-net health services for uninsured and low-income residents.

Dr. Katherine Kelly, chair of the advisory board, said the board seeks a multi-year increase in the fee-for-service reimbursement for Montgomery Cares clinic encounters, with a long-term target of $175 per encounter. The board acknowledged the FY26 step that raised the rate from $102.15 to $113.37 as a notable interim step but said additional increases are needed to cover a greater share of clinic costs and preserve provider financial stability.

MCAB also asked for increased specialty dental capacity to address emergency and complex pediatric cases (endodontics, operating-room procedures and other specialty interventions), noting waiting lists for referrals. The board recommended expanding support for endodontic services through county dental contracts and temporary supply support if a specialist cannot be retained.

For Health Care for the Homeless, MCAB proposed a program to provide home health aides and similar supports for formerly homeless clients who need personal care but are not covered or are on wait lists for Medicaid personal-care services. Finally, the board requested two new bilingual behavioral-health case manager/therapist positions in the Montgomery Perinatal Program to reduce barriers for high-risk pregnant women through one-on-one therapy, clinical case management and pregnancy/postpartum support groups.

Dr. Kelly said the recommendations rely on public-private partnerships with the Primary Care Coalition, area hospitals and county DHHS to preserve access, reduce emergency-visit costs and maintain quality safety-net care for uninsured residents.