Maryland says long-term care survey backlog sharply reduced; OHCQ seeks $2.7M contract funding to finish work
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Summary
The Office of Health Care Quality reported overdue nursing-home surveys fell from 172 (Dec 2023) to 12 (Jan 2026); MDH estimates backlog can be resolved by October 2026 but asked for $2.7M in civil money-penalty funds to sustain a nurse-surveyor contract while recruiting permanent staff.
MarylandDepartment of Health officials told the Health and Human Services Subcommittee that a combination of hiring and a subcontractor nurse-surveyor contract reduced a long-term care survey backlog substantially, but the department is seeking continued funding to finish the work and avoid reopening a backlog.
Department of Legislative Services analysis recommended concurrence with the governors allowance for the Office of Health Care Quality (OHCQ) and noted a $2,700,000 increase in special-fund spending from state civil money-penalty fees to support a contracting nurse-surveyor workforce. DLS requested MDH explain whether the fund balance can sustain the contract and for timeline details on resolving the backlog.
Dr. Meg Sullivan, MDH deputy secretary for public health services, told the subcommittee the special fund balance for the civil money-penalty reinvestment fund was $2,586,336 as of Jan. 31 and that OHCQ "believe[s] there will be enough revenue attainment by the end of FY27 to support expenditures." She said the agency will reduce contract scope "if revenue attainment falls below budgeted levels."
Sullivan outlined workforce progress and ongoing steps to reduce reliance on contractors: since July 1, 2023, OHCQ hired 39 long-term care surveyors and two additional surveyors are in training, reducing overall vacancy rates from 22.9% to 7.3% and nurse-surveyor vacancy to 7% as of Jan. 31, 2026. She credited the subcontractor nurse-surveyors with helping close the backlog: "As of January 2026, they only have 12 overdue surveys," down from 172 in December 2023, and estimated the remaining backlog could be resolved by October 2026, "depending on complaint intake volume and the number of high priority investigations that require extended timeframes."
Committee members asked how OHCQ would avoid long-term dependence on contractors. Sullivan said OHCQ is monitoring backlog progress regularly, adding permanent state positions to reach a sustainable staffing level and prioritizing recruitment and retention strategies so the agency "is not reliant on contractors."
Lawmakers also requested details of an MOU with Montgomery County to delegate nursing-home surveys; Sullivan said negotiations were underway and MDH and Montgomery County would meet the following day to continue MOU language discussions.
The subcommittee did not adopt any formal changes at the hearing; MDH committed to follow up on funding sustainability and the MOU negotiation status.
