Maryland Updates

• On February 19th, over 215 PTs/PTAs and Students met with Maryland legislators to discuss issues of importance and concern related to the physical therapy profession and the communities we serve as part of APTAMD’s Advocacy Day
• APTAMD has submitted written and or oral testimony in support of the following legislation:

• • Health Maintenance Organizations – Payments to Nonparticipating Providers – Reimbursement Rate conforms the HMO formula to what is in MD law for the PPO models. If  passed, it would tighten up the formula that has enforced insurers to pay better contractual rates.
  • Telehealth Preservation to make permanent payment parity and audio only calls
  • So Every Body Can Move Act requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to eliminate burdensome requirements, protect patients, and improve device replacement policies.
  • Health Insurance – Utilization Review – Exemption for Participation in Value-Based Care Arrangements prohibiting certain carriers from imposing a prior authorization, step therapy, or quantity limit requirement on eligible providers for health care services that are included in a two-sided incentive arrangement
  • Health Insurance – Adverse Decisions – Reporting and Examinations requiring certain carriers, if the number of adverse decisions issued by carrier for a type of service has grown by more than 10% in the immediately preceding calendar year or 25% in the immediately preceding 3 calendar years, to provide certain information to the Maryland Insurance Commissioner; and authorizing the Commissioner to use certain adverse decision information as the basis of a certain examination.
  • Youth Sport Safety Advisory Commission to study and evidence-based policies and advise on practices for maximizing safety for youth athletes at different age levels
  • State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners – Revisions clarifying the definition of “physical therapist assistant” as used in the Maryland Physical Therapy Act to mean an individual licensed by the State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners
• APTAMD has submitted written and oral testimony of concern for the Governor’s Budget Reconciliation and Finance Act over concerns with the proposed transfer of $473,055 from the State Board of Physical Therapy Examiners Fund to the Behavioral Health Administration within the Maryland Department of Health. Concerns include: Potential Deficit from Rising Operational Expenses; Impact on Licensing Fees; Delayed Licensing and Regulatory Management System (LRMS) Project; etc.