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*hb0931*
HOUSE BILL 931
J2, J3 6lr2772
By: Delegates Hill, Alston, McComas, Taveras, Taylor, White Holland, and Woods
Woods, Bagnall, Cullison, Guzzone, Hutchinson, S. Johnson, Kaufman,
Kipke, Lopez, Martinez, M. Morgan, Reilly, Rosenberg, Ross, Szeliga, and
Woorman
Introduced and read first time: February 5, 2026
Assigned to: Health
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
House action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Health Care Facilities – Nursing Homes – Medical Director Requirements 2
FOR the purpose of requiring a physician, in order to be designated as a medical director 3
of a nursing home, to hold a certain medical director certification or be making active 4
progress toward obtaining the certification; requiring the Maryland Department of 5
Health to establish and maintain an online directory of nursing home medical 6
directors; each nursing home to publish on the nursing home’s website certain 7
information for the medical director of the nursing home; and generally relating to 8
nursing home medical directors. 9
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 10
Article – Health – General 11
Section 19–1401(a) and (e) 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 15
Article – Health – General 16
Section 19–1411 17
Annotated Code of Maryland 18
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 19
2 HOUSE BILL 931
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 1
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 2
Article – Health – General 3
19–1401. 4
(a) In this subtitle the following words have the meanings indicated. 5
(e) (1) “Nursing home” means a facility that offers nonacute inpatient care to 6
patients suffering from a disease, chronic illness, condition, disability of advanced age, or 7
terminal disease requiring maximal nursing care without continuous hospital services and 8
who require medical services and nursing services rendered by or under the supervision of 9
a licensed nurse together with convalescent, restorative, or rehabilitative services. 10
(2) “Nursing home” does not mean a facility offering domiciliary care or 11
personal care as those terms are defined in § 19–301 of this title. 12
19–1411. 13
(a) (1) IN THIS SECTION THE F OLLOWING WORDS HAVE THE MEANINGS 14
INDICATED. 15
(2) “MEDICAL DIRECTOR” MEANS THE PHYSICIAN DESIGNATED BY A 16
NURSING HOME TO OVER SEE MEDICAL CARE AND CLINICAL POLICIES AT THE 17
NURSING HOME IN ACCO RDANCE WITH FEDERAL AND STATE LAWS AND 18
REGULATIONS. 19
(3) “MEDICAL DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION” MEANS: 20
(I) A CERTIFIED MEDICAL DIRECTOR (CMD) CERTIFICATION 21
ISSUED BY THE POST–ACUTE AND LONG–TERM CARE MEDICAL ASSOCIATION 22
(PALTMED); OR 23
(II) A CREDENTIAL EQUIVALEN T TO A CMD CERTIFICATION 24
APPROVED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 25
(B) (1) (I) Each nursing home shall designate a physician WHO MEETS 26
THE REQUIREMENTS OF SUBSECTION (C)(1) OF THIS SECTION to serve as medical 27
director. 28
(II) A PHYSICIAN MAY NOT BE A DESIGNATED MEDICAL 29
DIRECTOR AT MORE THAN TWO LICENSED NURSING HOMES. 30
HOUSE BILL 931 3
(2) The medical director is responsible for monitoring physician services at 1
the nursing home. 2
(3) The medical director shall report monthly to the quality assurance 3
committee on the quality of medical care at the nursing home. 4
(C) (1) TO QUALIFY TO BE DESIGNATED AS A MEDICAL DIRECTOR UNDER 5
SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION, A PHYSICIAN MUST: 6
(I) HOLD A VALID MEDICAL DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION; OR 7
(II) BE MAKING ACTIVE PROG RESS TOWARD OBTAININ G A 8
MEDICAL DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION. 9
(2) A PHYSICIAN DESIGNATED AS A MEDICAL DIRECTO R UNDER 10
SUBSECTION (B)(1) OF THIS SECTION SHALL SUBMIT TO THE DEPARTMENT: 11
(I) A COPY OF THE PHYSICIA N’S MEDICAL DIRECTOR 12
CERTIFICATION; OR 13
(II) EVIDENCE SATISFACTORY TO THE DEPARTMENT OF ACTIVE 14
PROGRESS TOWARD OBTAINING A MEDICAL DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION. 15
(3) (I) SUBJECT TO SUBPARAGRA PH (II) OF THIS PARAGRAPH , A 16
PHYSICIAN WHO WAS DE SIGNATED AS A MEDICA L DIRECTOR ON OR BEF ORE 17
SEPTEMBER 30, 2026, SHALL OBTAIN A MEDICAL DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION ON OR 18
BEFORE SEPTEMBER 30, 2028 2030. 19
(II) THE DEPARTMENT MAY GRANT A PH YSICIAN DESCRIBED 20
UNDER SUBPARAGRAPH (I) OF THIS PARAGRAPH A TIME–LIMITED EXTENSION FOR 21
OBTAINING A MEDICAL DIRECTOR CERTIFICATION ON A SHOWING OF GOOD CAUSE, 22
AS DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT IN REGULATION. 23
[(b)] (D) The Secretary, in consultation with th e Medical and Chirurgical 24
Faculty of Maryland, and representatives of the nursing home industry, shall: 25
(1) [Establish qualifications for the medical director of a nursing home or 26
anyone acting for the medical director in his or her absence; 27
(2)] Define the duties of the medical director; and 28
[(3)] (2) Adopt regulations for the attending physicians who treat 29
residents of nursing homes that will provide for physician accountability. 30
4 HOUSE BILL 931
(E) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ESTABLISH AND MAINTAIN A PUBLICLY 1
ACCESSIBLE ONLINE DI RECTORY OF NURSING H OME MEDICAL DIRECTORS IN THE 2
STATE THAT INCLUDES E ACH EACH NURSING HOME SHA LL PUBLISH ON THE 3
NURSING HOME ’S WEBSITE THE FOLLOW ING INFORMATION FOR THE MEDICAL 4
DIRECTOR’S DIRECTOR OF THE NURSING HOME: 5
(I) (1) NAME; 6
(II) (2) PROFESSIONAL CREDENTIALS; AND 7
(III) (3) CERTIFICATION STATUS. 8
(2) EACH NURSING HOME LIC ENSED UNDER THIS SUB TITLE SHALL 9
SUBMIT THE NAME OF THE DESIGNATED MEDICAL DIRECTOR TO THE DEPARTMENT 10
FOR INCLUSION IN THE DIRECTORY IN A MANNE R AND ON THE SCHEDULE 11
DETERMINED BY THE DEPARTMENT. 12
(F) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL ADOP T REGULATIONS TO CAR RY OUT THIS 13
SECTION, INCLUDING REGULATIONS THAT ESTABLISH: 14
(1) THE EDUCATIONAL AND E XPERIENTIAL REQUIREM ENTS FOR A 15
MEDICAL DIRECTOR CER TIFICATION THAT IS E QUIVALENT TO A CMD 16
CERTIFICATION; AND 17
(2) THE PROCESS FOR APPRO VING A MEDICAL DIREC TOR 18
CERTIFICATION. 19
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 20
October 1, 2026. 21
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.