Certified Peer Recovery Specialists - Coverage Under the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance and Workgroup on Certification

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
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HOUSE BILL 886
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By: Delegates Hornberger and Lopez
Introduced and read first time: February 4, 2026
Assigned to: Health

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Certified Peer Recovery Specialists – Coverage Under the Maryland Medical 2
Assistance Program and Health Insurance and Workgroup on Certification 3

FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and certai n 4
insurers, nonprofit health service plans, health maintenance organizations, and 5
managed care organizations to provide coverage for services provided in any setting 6
by certain certified peer recovery specialists; requiring the Maryland Department of 7
Health to convene a certain workgroup on the certification process of peer recovery 8
specialists; and generally relating to certified peer recovery specialists. 9

BY adding to 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 15–102.3(p) and 15–103(a)(2)(xxix) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 15
Article – Health – General 16
Section 15–103(a)(1) 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 20
Article – Health – General 21
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxvii) and (xxviii) 22
Annotated Code of Maryland 23
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 24

BY adding to 25
Article – Insurance 26
Section 15–864 27
2 HOUSE BILL 886

Annotated Code of Maryland 1
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 2

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 3
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 4

Article – Health – General 5

15–102.3. 6

(P) THE PROVISIONS OF § 15–864 OF THE INSURANCE ARTICLE APPLY TO 7
MANAGED CARE ORGANIZATIONS IN THE SAME MANNER THEY APPLY TO CARRIERS. 8

15–103. 9

(a) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Maryland Medical Assistance 10
Program. 11

(2) The Program: 12

(xxvii) Beginning on January 1, 2026, if providing coverage for the 13
delivery of anesthesia, shall provide coverage for the delivery of anesthesia in accordance 14
with § 15–862 of the Insurance Article; [and] 15

(xxviii) Beginning on January 1, 2026, shall provide calcium score 16
testing in accordance with § 15–863 of the Insurance Article; AND 17

(XXIX) BEGINNING ON JANUARY 1, 2027, SHALL PROVIDE 18
COVERAGE FOR SERVICES PROVIDED BY CERTIFIED PEER RECOVERY SPECIALISTS 19
IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 15–864 OF THE INSURANCE ARTICLE. 20

Article – Insurance 21

15–864. 22

(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO: 23

(1) INSURERS AND NONPROF IT HEALTH SERVICE PL ANS THAT 24
PROVIDE HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS 25
ON AN EXPENSE –INCURRED BASIS UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE POL ICIES OR 26
CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE; AND 27

(2) HEALTH MAINTENANCE O RGANIZATIONS THAT PR OVIDE 28
HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS UNDER 29
CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE. 30
HOUSE BILL 886 3

(B) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR 1
SERVICES PROVIDED IN ANY SETTING BY A CERTIFIED PEER RECOVERY SPECIALIST 2
WHO IS CERTIFIED BY THE MARYLAND ADDICTION AND BEHAVIORAL–HEALTH 3
PROFESSIONALS CERTIFICATION BOARD OR A SUCCESSOR ENTITY. 4

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Maryland Department of 5
Health shall: 6

(1) convene a workgroup with the Maryland Addiction & 7
Behavioral–Health Professionals Certification Board and interested stakeholders to 8
identify ways to make the process of certifying peer recovery specialists more efficient, 9
including through reciprocity; and 10

(2) report to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health 11
Committee, in accordance with § 2 –1257 of the State Government Article, on its findings 12
and whether legislation is needed. 13

SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 1 of this Act shall 14
apply to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the 15
State on or after January 1, 2027. 16

SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 1 of this Act shall take 17
effect January 1, 2027. 18

SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, except as provided in Section 19
4 of this Act, this Act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 20