Mid-Atlantic Health Law TOPICS

1. The Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC) which sets rates for Maryland hospitals, approved a one-time, $100 million rate adjustment to the current rate year for hospitals. This adjustment is temporary and will be removed on July 1, 2022. The Maryland Hospital Association (MHA) requested this increase based on higher than anticipated inflation costs, which contribute directly to the tight labor market and the necessity to increase wages to retain and recruit staff to fill shortages acerbated by the most recent COVID-19 surge.    

2. The Maryland Department of Health received a $1.1 million grant from the U.S. Centers for Diseases Control and Prevention to bolster efforts to improve maternal health outcomes. These funds will be used to support multi-disciplined reviews of pregnancy-associated deaths to understand the causes of maternal mortality. This initiative is in line with the Maryland Total Cost of Care Model, as maternal and child health is the third population health priority area under the Statewide Integrated Health Improvement Strategy. That strategy identifies priority areas in which health care system stakeholders focus on improving health outcomes, addressing disparities and reducing health care costs statewide.

Alexandria K. Montanio
410-576-4278 • amontanio@gfrlaw.com