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Committee backs Montgomery Cares rate boost and narrowly recommends one-time funding for American Diversity Group
Summary
The committee approved an increase to Montgomery Cares reimbursement rates (with a modest specialty-care reduction) and recorded a 2-to-1 committee recommendation to provide one-time county funding to the American Diversity Group clinic in East County, while requesting robust contract evaluation metrics and clarity on long-term funding implications.
Council staff presented updated FY26 figures for Montgomery Cares, proposing a reimbursement increase to $113.36 per primary-care encounter. The County Executive requested funding based on 78,000 encounters; staff recommended setting the FY26 encounters at 77,000 to reflect recent utilization while flagging a potential need for a supplemental appropriation if demand rises. OMB noted approving 77,000 could undercount demand and risk a supplemental later; several members suggested building modest leeway.
Committee members approved a small specialty-care reduction of $74,300 to accommodate budget adjustments while maintaining the base rate increase. Council Chair and staff emphasized that the rate and encounter assumptions are linked: raising the paid encounters to 78,000 would change savings calculations.
Separately, the committee debated a one-time contract to support American Diversity Group (ADG), a community clinic in East County that operates weekend hours and provides multi-language, low-barrier care. Supporters, including Councilmember Mink, described ADG as a trusted community partner that fills gaps in weekend hours and language access and frequently receives hospital referrals. Opponents and some colleagues asked for clearer evaluation metrics: who ADG serves, whether the services would otherwise be available, post-visit pathways into Montgomery Cares or other programs, and how the contract would be monitored. DHHS said ADG proposes to expand hours and cited a planned 25% increase in patients served; the department will require patient-satisfaction surveys and evaluation requirements if funded.
The committee recorded a 2-to-1 recommendation to fund ADG on a one-time basis and asked DHHS to include contract performance metrics, patient satisfaction surveys and clarity on whether the funding expands capacity beyond current services. The committee also noted that the one-time action should be flagged in the packet as new funding for full-council review.
