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Baltimore, MD - The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) is pleased to announce that Governor Wes Moore has appointed Joan Gelrud, RN, MSN, CPHQ, FACHE as Chair of the Commission, effective May 13, 2026.

Gelrud has served as a Commissioner since 2023 and brings decades of health care leadership experience in quality improvement, population health, and health system administration. She retired from Luminis Health as Chief Quality and Population Health Officer and previously held senior leadership roles overseeing quality and safety at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, California, and was Vice President of MedStar St. Mary’s Hospital in Leonardtown, Maryland.

“As health care continues to evolve, the Commission plays an important role in advancing innovative, patient-centered solutions that improve safety, quality, access, and affordability for Marylanders,” said Gelrud. “I am honored to serve as Chair and look forward to working alongside my fellow commissioners and MHCC staff to support a stronger, more equitable health care system.”

With deep appreciation, the Commission recognizes, and thanks Marcia Boyle for her service as Acting Chair during the past year and through a leadership transition. Boyle will resume her role as Commissioner for the remainder of her term.

“Joan brings an exceptional depth of experience in health care quality, population health, and strategic leadership,” said Douglas Jacobs, Executive Director of MHCC. “Her collaborative approach and commitment to improving health outcomes position her well to lead the Commission as we continue advancing initiatives that benefit Maryland patients and communities. We are also deeply grateful to Marcia Boyle for her steady leadership as Acting Chair and her continued service to the Commission.”

About the Maryland Health Care Commission
The Maryland Health Care Commission is an independent state regulatory agency whose mission is to plan for health system needs, promote informed decision-making, and improve access, cost, and quality of health care in Maryland.

The Commission extends its sincere gratitude to Marcus Wang and Dr. Arun Bhandari for their dedicated service and meaningful contributions to the State of Maryland. Throughout their tenure, both played a pivotal role in advancing MHCC’s mission to enhance quality, accessibility, and affordability of health care to Marylanders. Their leadership and expertise helped guide key initiatives and policy decisions that benefit Maryland residents.

“We are honored to have benefited from the experiences and insights of Marcus Wang and Dr. Arun Bhandari. Through their commitment to public service and the Commission, they have made a lasting impact on health care access, quality, and outcomes in our state,” said Dr. Douglas Jacobs, Executive Director of MHCC.

As Commissioners Wang and Bhandari transition, MHCC is pleased to welcome Dr. Howard Haft and Hemi Tewarson as new Commissioners, appointed in the recent legislative session.

Dr. Haft is a physician and healthcare executive with extensive experience in public health and primary care. He previously served as Maryland’s Deputy Secretary for Public Health and currently serves as an Adjunct Professor of Medicine at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. He is also the founder of Haft Healthcare Consulting where he brings deep expertise in health systems, value-based care, and health equity.

Ms. Tewarson is a nationally recognized health policy leader and currently serves as Executive Director of the National Academy for State Health Policy (NASHP). She has led major state-focused health initiatives at the National Governors Association and previously served as a Senior Attorney at the U.S. Government Accountability Office. 

“Dr. Haft and Ms. Tewarson bring their deep understanding of health care delivery in Maryland - and across the nation - and a strong commitment to improving health outcomes,” said Dr. Jacobs. “Their leadership and perspectives will help guide the Commission forward as we address the evolving health care needs of Marylanders.”

About the Maryland Health Care Commission
The Maryland Health Care Commission is an independent state regulatory agency whose mission is to plan for health system needs, promote informed decision-making, and improve access, cost, and quality of health care in Maryland.

Baltimore, MD - The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) released a Request for Applications (RFA) under the Maryland Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) for a funding opportunity that supports expanding access to primary care in designated rural areas of the State. Approximately $6.3 million is now available to eligible organizations to establish or expand primary care in rural Maryland. The grant will focus on strengthening operational capacity and improving access to high-quality, whole-person care, including preventive care services, chronic disease management, and reduced hospital utilization.

The MHCC will competitively award up to 15 one-year grants with a maximum award of $1.6 million. Funding will strengthen primary care infrastructure in rural communities facing provider shortages and limited or delayed access to primary care.

"Access to primary care is foundational to a strong health care system, yet many rural communities continue to face barriers to timely, accessible, high-quality primary care," said Dr. Douglas Jacobs, MHCC's Executive Director. "This funding opportunity aims to break down these barriers with new or expanded rural primary care practices and approaches to care delivery so that rural Marylanders have more ready access to the primary care they deserve."

Applications will be evaluated based on organizational experience and capacity, understanding of community needs in the target rural areas, proposed strategies to improve access to primary care, and financial feasibility and sustainability. Eligible applicants include new or existing primary care practices, Federally Qualified Health Centers, and other organizations that are prepared to sponsor an advanced primary care practice. Applications are due to MHCC by Monday, June 1, 2026.

The RFA outlines all requirements and submission instructions for applicants. The MHCC will host an RFA informational webinar on Monday, May 11, 2026 from 3:00-4:00pm ET. Registration details are included on the MHCC website.

The Maryland RHTP is supported by the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) as part of a financial assistance award to the Maryland Department of Health (MDH) totaling $168,180,837.61 with 100 percent funded by CMS/HHS. The contents of this RFA are of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent the official views of, nor an endorsement, by CMS/HHS, or the U.S. Government. The MDH has delegated Maryland RHTP funding to MHCC for this RFA.

About the Maryland Health Care Commission

The MHCC is an independent regulatory agency whose mission is to plan for health system needs, promote informed decision-making, increase accountability, and improve access in a rapidly changing health care environment by providing timely and accurate information on availability, cost, and quality of services to policy makers, purchasers, providers, and the public.

Baltimore, MD —The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) applauds the Maryland General Assembly for removing barriers to behavioral health treatment with the passage of House Bill 498 and its companion Senate Bill 444. This legislation is designed to expand access to critical behavioral health services across the state.

The new law creates a more efficient pathway for increasing treatment capacity at certain facilities providing medically managed residential substance use disorder (SUD) services. It also maintains the Commission’s health planning and regulatory oversight role for these services, ensuring alignment with the State Health Plan and the broader public interest.

As Maryland continues to respond to the opioid crisis and growing demand for behavioral health services, MHCC supports targeted reforms that enable the health care system to meet Marylanders’ needs for high quality, safe, and accessible care.

With this legislative change, MHCC will balance access and accountability through:

• Expedited Certificate of Need (CON) Review: Establishes a 45-day notice of intent process for proposed changes in bed capacity, replacing the need for a full CON review in specified circumstances.
• Consistent Oversight: MHCC evaluates whether proposed expansions are aligned with the State Health Plan, support the public interest, and promote the efficient delivery of care.
• Focusing on Health Care Planning Needs: Applies to facilities providing higher-acuity services, including medically managed residential treatment consistent with ASAM Level 3.7. Additional capacity in these facilities will help address the behavioral health needs of Marylanders.

“Our priority is ensuring that Marylanders have timely access to life-saving treatment,” said Dr. Douglas Jacobs, Executive Director of MHCC. “This legislation modernizes the Certificate of Need process by creating a more efficient pathway for expanding capacity, while maintaining the safeguards necessary to ensure high-quality, well-coordinated care.”

About the Maryland Health Care Commission

The Maryland Health Care Commission is an independent regulatory agency whose mission is to plan for health system needs, promote informed decision-making, increase accountability, and improve access in a rapidly changing health care environment. The Commission provides timely and accurate information on the availability, cost, and quality of services to policymakers, purchasers, providers, and the public.

In collaboration with stakeholders, MHCC considered updates to the Noncontrolled Prescription Drug Dispenser Data Submission Manual (dispenser manual). Draft updates are non-substantive and clarify certain processes for reporting noncontrolled prescription drug (non-CDS) dispense information to the State-Designated Health Information Exchange (CRISP). Notice of the proposed updates to the dispenser manual was printed in the Maryland Register on April 17, 2026; Volume 53, Issue 8.

For further details and the response due date, please visit the Response for Public Comments page.

The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) is releasing COMAR 10.25.06 for informal comment. MHCC currently collects data on paid commercial claims from Maryland payors for inclusion in the Medical Care Data Base (MCDB), Maryland’s All-Payer Claims Database (APCD). Although nearly half of states with similar databases currently collect information about denied claims, MHCC does not. The Maryland Health Care Commission (MHCC) is in ongoing discussions with the Maryland Insurance Administration (MIA), the Health Services Cost Review Commission (HSCRC), the Maryland Department of Health (MDH), the Prescription Drug Affordability Board (PDAB), and the Health Education and Advocacy Unit (HEAU) about the value that data on denied claims would add to a variety of public health initiatives. While Maryland collects some information on insurance denials, the State lacks individual service-level information regarding denials. The current data that the state receives on prior authorization is typically organized into broad service categories, such as “Durable Medical Equipment,” but not the level of specificity to comprehensively identify individual denied services, such as “Continuous Glucose Monitors.” Collecting denied claims will provide insights into payors operating in the state, utilization management procedures and identify patterns in health services that are routinely denied. MHCC is collaborating with other states regarding the collection of denied claims in their APCDs. Eleven of the twenty-five APCD states are currently collecting denied claims.

The draft regulations require payors to begin reporting denied claims in 2027.

For further details and the response due date, please visit the Response for Public Comments page.

The RFI seeks information on digital platforms that support social risk screening and data collection and enable referral coordination and billing between providers, community-based organizations (CBOs), and payers.

Responses will be used to support market research, understand current technological capabilities, and shape future policies in the State that advance the integration of social needs screening and closed-loop referral platforms with the State-Designated Health Information Exchange (CRISP). The RFI is an enterable PDF; responses can be entered directly into the PDF or provided as a separate attachment. CBOs, providers, payers, technology vendors, and consumer representatives are encouraged to respond to some or all questions in the RFI.

Response Due: Friday, April 3, 2026