Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
Underlining indicates amendments to bill.
Strike out indicates matter stricken from the bill by amendment or deleted from the law by
amendment.
*hb0813*

HOUSE BILL 813
J1 6lr2759
SB 876/25 – FIN CF SB 496
By: Delegates Martinez, Miller, Alston, Guzzone, Hill, Kaufman, Rosenberg, Ross,
Taveras, and White Holland White Holland, Bagnall, Cullison, S. Johnson,
and Lopez
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: February 18, 2026

CHAPTER ______

AN ACT concerning 1

Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity 2
– Authorization 3

FOR the purpose of authorizing, beginning on a certain date, the Maryland Medical 4
Assistance Program to provide comprehensive coverage for the treatment of obesity; 5
requiring the Maryland Department of Health to provide notice to Program 6
recipients if the Department elects to provide the coverage; requiring, on or before a 7
certain date, the Maryland Department of Health to apply to the Centers for 8
Medicare and Medicaid Services for a State plan amendment authorizing the State 9
to provide comprehensive covera ge for the treatment of obesity; and generally 10
relating to the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and coverage for the treatment 11
of obesity. 12

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 13
Article – Health – General 14
Section 15–103(a)(1) 15
Annotated Code of Maryland 16
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 17

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 18
Article – Health – General 19
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxvii) and (xxviii) 20
Annotated Code of Maryland 21
2 HOUSE BILL 813

(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 1

BY adding to 2
Article – Health – General 3
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxix) and 15–160 4
Annotated Code of Maryland 5
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 6

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 7
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 8

Article – Health – General 9

15–103. 10

(a) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Maryland Medical Assistance 11
Program. 12

(2) The Program: 13

(xxvii) Beginning on January 1, 2026, if providing coverage for 14
the delivery of anesthesia, shall provide coverage for the delivery of anesthesia in 15
accordance with § 15–862 of the Insurance Article; [and] 16

(xxviii) Beginning on January 1, 2026, shall provide calcium score 17
testing in accordance with § 15–863 of the Insurance Article; AND 18

(XXIX) BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2027, MAY PROVIDE 19
COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE FOR THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY UNDER § 15–160 OF 20
THIS SUBTITLE. 21

15–160. 22

(A) IN THIS SECTION, “COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE FOR THE TREATMENT 23
OF OBESITY ” INCLUDES COVERAGE FO R INTENSIVE BEHAVIOR AL THERAPY , 24
BARIATRIC SURGERY , AND ANY MEDICATION A PPROVED BY THE FEDER AL FOOD 25
AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION WITH A N INDICATION FOR CHR ONIC WEIGHT 26
MANAGEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH OBESITY. 27

(B) THE PROGRAM MAY PROVIDE C OMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE FOR THE 28
TREATMENT OF OBESITY. 29

(C) THE PROGRAM MAY UNDERTAKE UTILIZATION MANAGEME NT TO 30
DETERMINE THE MEDICAL NECESSITY AND APPROPRIATENESS FOR TREATMENT OF 31
OBESITY UNDER THIS S ECTION IF THE DETERM INATIONS ARE MADE IN THE SAME 32
HOUSE BILL 813 3

MANNER AS DETERMINAT IONS ARE MADE FOR TH E TREATMENT OF ANY O THER 1
ILLNESS, CONDITION, OR DISORDER COVERED BY THE PROGRAM. 2

(D) IF THE DEPARTMENT ELECTS TO PROVIDE COMPREHENSIVE COVERAGE 3
FOR THE TREATMENT OF OBESITY UNDER THIS SECTION, THE DEPARTMENT SHALL 4
PROVIDE NOTICE TO PROGRAM RECIPIENTS. 5

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before January 1, 2027, 6
the Maryland Department of Health shall apply to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid 7
Services for a State plan amendment that authorizes the State to provide comprehensive 8
coverage for the treatment of obesity. 9

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, on or before November 1, 10
2027, the Maryland Department of Health shall report to the Senate Finance Committee, 11
the Senate Budget and Taxation Committee, the House Health Committee, and the House 12
Appropriations Committee, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government Article, 13
on whether the Maryland Medical Assistance Program has begun to provide comprehensive 14
coverage for the treatment of obesity as authorized under § 15–160 of the Health – General 15
Article, as enacted by Section 1 of this Act, and if not, why the Department has not begun 16
to provide coverage. 17

SECTION 3. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 18
October 1, 2026. 19

Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.