Public Health - Women's Health Care Data - Report

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*hb1451*

HOUSE BILL 1451
J1 6lr3417
CF SB 485
By: Delegates McComas, Beauchamp, Chisholm, Ciliberti, Hornberger, and Reilly
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Health

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Health – Women’s Health Care Data – Report 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Department of Health to develop and 3
implement a standard system to collect and compile annual data on the costs of 4
prenatal care, birth, postpartum care, pregnancy care, abortion services, and 5
menopausal care in the State; establishing limitations on the data and information 6
that may be collected or reported under a certain provision of this Act; and generally 7
relating to reproductive health care data. 8

BY adding to 9
Article – Health – General 10
Section 20–217 through 20–220 to be under the new part “Part V. Women’s Health 11
Data Collection and Reporting” 12
Annotated Code of Maryland 13
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 14

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 15
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 16

Article – Health – General 17

20–215. RESERVED. 18

20–216. RESERVED. 19

PART V. WOMEN’S HEALTH DATA COLLECTION AND REPORTING. 20

20–217. 21

2 HOUSE BILL 1451

THE PURPOSE OF THIS P ART IS TO COLLECT AN D REPORT DATA REGARDING 1
THE COSTS OF PRENATA L CARE , BIRTH, POSTPARTUM CARE , PREGNANCY CARE , 2
ABORTION SERVICES, AND MENOPAUSAL CARE, TO: 3

(1) BETTER UNDERSTAND THE FINANCIAL IMPACT OF THESE 4
SERVICES ON INDIVIDUALS, PROVIDERS, AND THE STATE; 5

(2) INFORM PUBLIC POLICY DECISIONS RELATED TO MATERNAL AND 6
REPRODUCTIVE HEALTH CARE; 7

(3) EVALUATE WHETHER PUBL IC AND PRIVATE FUNDS EXPENDED 8
FOR WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE ARE USED EFFECTIVELY; 9

(4) PERFORM COST ANALYSES TO IDENTIFY GAPS OR EMERGING 10
NEEDS RELATED TO WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE; AND 11

(5) PROMOTE TRANSPARENCY AND ACCOUNTABILITY I N HEALTH 12
CARE SPENDING WHILE SAFEGUARDING THE PRI VACY AND DIGNITY OF ALL 13
INDIVIDUALS. 14

20–218. 15

(A) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL COLLECT AND CO MPILE DATA ANNUALLY 16
REGARDING THE COSTS OF: 17

(1) DELIVERY, INCLUDING: 18

(I) STANDARD DELIVERY COSTS; 19

(II) COSTS OF COMPLICATION S, INCLUDING EMERGENCY 20
INTERVENTIONS AND EXTENDED HOSPITAL STAYS; AND 21

(III) NEONATAL CARE, IF APPLICABLE; 22

(2) POSTPARTUM CARE, INCLUDING: 23

(I) FOLLOW–UP MEDICAL VISITS; AND 24

(II) COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ADDRESSING POSTPARTU M 25
MENTAL HEALTH CONDITIONS, INCLUDING POSTPARTUM DEPRESSION; 26

(3) PREGNANCY CARE, INCLUDING: 27

HOUSE BILL 1451 3

(I) ROUTINE OBSTETRIC AND GYNECOLOGICAL VISITS; 1

(II) PRENATAL VITAMINS AND SUPPLEMENTS; 2

(III) DIAGNOSTIC AND MONITO RING SERVICES , INCLUDING 3
ULTRASOUNDS AND GENETIC TESTING; AND 4

(IV) PERINATAL MENTAL HEAL TH CONDITIONS , INCLUDING 5
PERINATAL DEPRESSION; 6

(4) SUBJECT TO SUBSECTION (B) OF THIS SECTION , ABORTION, 7
INCLUDING: 8

(I) PROCEDURAL COSTS; 9

(II) COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH COMPLICATIONS OR FOLLOW–UP 10
CARE; 11

(III) PRESCRIPTION COSTS FO R ABORTION PILLS , INCLUDING 12
COSTS ASSOCIATED WITH ABORTION PILL REVERSALS; 13

(IV) COSTS OF ABORTION CAR E TRAINING PROGRAMS UNDER § 14
13–4704 OF THIS ARTICLE; AND 15

(V) POST–ABORTIVE MENTAL HEALTH SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING 16
ANXIETY, DEPRESSION, OR TRAUMA–RELATED INDICATORS; AND 17

(5) MENOPAUSE–RELATED HEALTH CARE, INCLUDING: 18

(I) UTILIZATION AND ASSOCIATED COSTS OF HORMONAL AND 19
NONHORMONAL THERAPIES; 20

(II) AVAILABILITY AND ACCE SSIBILITY OF EDUCATI ONAL AND 21
COMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES FOR PATIENTS AND HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS; AND 22

(III) MENTAL HEALTH CONDITI ONS RELATED TO 23
PERIMENOPAUSE, MENOPAUSE, AND POSTMENOPAUSE , INCLUDING DIAGNOSIS , 24
TREATMENT, AND LONG–TERM MANAGEMENT. 25

(B) DATA COLLECTED UNDER SUBSECTION (A)(4) OF THIS SECTION: 26

(1) SHALL INCLUDE ONLY AGGREGATED BUDGET AND EXPENDITURE 27
DATA; AND 28
4 HOUSE BILL 1451

(2) MAY NOT INCLUDE PROCEDURE–LEVEL DETAILS OR ANY OTHER 1
INFORMATION PROHIBITED FROM DISCLOSURE UNDER STATE LAW. 2

(C) MARYLAND MEDICAL ASSISTANCE PROGRAM FUNDS USED FO R 3
CHEMICAL OR SURGICAL ABORTION PROCEDURES SHALL BE TRACKED TO INCLUDE: 4

(1) THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE ALLOCATED FOR CHEMICAL 5
ABORTIONS, INCLUDING ASSOCIATED PRESCRIPTION COSTS; AND 6

(2) THE TOTAL EXPENDITURE FOR SURGICAL ABORTIO NS, 7
INCLUDING PRE– AND POSTOPERATIVE CARE. 8

(D) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL DEVE LOP AND IMPLEMENT A 9
STANDARDIZED REPORTI NG SYSTEM , INCLUDING FORMS OR WORKSHE ETS WITH 10
INSTRUCTIONS, FOR THE COLLECTION O F REVENUES , CHARGES, PRICES, AND 11
UTILIZATION DATA RELATED TO WOMEN’S HEALTH CARE SERVICES FOR BUDGETARY 12
ANALYSIS AND EXPENDITURE MONITORING. 13

(2) UNIFORM REPORTING REQUIREMENTS UNDER THIS SUBSECTION 14
SHALL ALLOW THE DEPARTMENT TO IDENTIFY STATEWIDE AND REGIONAL TRENDS 15
IN THE COST , PRICE, AVAILABILITY, AND UTILIZATION OF W OMEN’S MEDICAL , 16
SURGICAL, REPRODUCTIVE, DIAGNOSTIC, PRENATAL, POSTPARTUM, MENOPAUSAL, 17
AND OTHER HEALTH CARE SERVICES. 18

(E) THE FOLLOWING ENTITIE S SHALL USE THE REPO RTING SYSTEM 19
DEVELOPED UNDER SUBS ECTION (D) OF THIS SECTION TO R EPORT APPLICABLE 20
DATA DESCRIBED UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION TO THE DEPARTMENT: 21

(1) EACH HOSPITAL LICENSED UNDER TITLE 19, SUBTITLE 3 OF THIS 22
ARTICLE; 23

(2) EACH HEALTH CARE PROV IDER LICENSED UNDER THE HEALTH 24
OCCUPATIONS ARTICLE; AND 25

(3) ANY OTHER ENTITY THAT PROVIDES A SERVICE D ESCRIBED 26
UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF THIS SECTION. 27

20–219. 28

(A) THE DEPARTMENT IS NOT REQ UIRED TO COLLECT OR REPORT DATA 29
THAT WOULD VIOLATE F EDERAL OR STATE PRIVACY LAWS , INCLUDING §§ 4–301 30
THROUGH 4–309 OF THIS ARTICLE. 31
HOUSE BILL 1451 5

(B) AN ENTITY LISTED UNDER § 20–218(E) OF THIS SUBTITLE SHALL: 1

(1) COMPLY WITH THE DEPARTMENT’S DATA SUBMISSION 2
REQUIREMENTS; AND 3

(2) ANONYMIZE AND DE–IDENTIFY PATIENT DATA AS NECESSARY TO 4
COMPLY WITH APPLICABLE FEDERAL AND STATE PRIVACY LAWS. 5

(C) (1) DATA COLLECTED UNDER § 20–218(A) OF THIS SUBTITLE SHA LL 6
BE LIMITED TO THE INFORMATION NECESSARY TO ASSESS THE COSTS OF SERVICES 7
FOR EACH CATEGORY OF CARE DESCRIBED IN § 20–218(A) OF THIS SUBTITLE. 8

(2) THE DEPARTMENT OR ANY ENTITY LISTED UNDER § 20–218(E) OF 9
THIS SUBTITLE MAY NO T COLLECT OR REPORT PERSONAL HEALTH INFO RMATION 10
OR ANY OTHER IDENTIFIABLE PATIENT DATA IN COMPLYING WITH § 20–218 OF THIS 11
SUBTITLE. 12

(D) NOTWITHSTANDING § 20–218 OF THIS SUBTITLE , THIS SUBTITLE MAY 13
NOT BE CONSTRUED TO AUTHORIZE OR REQUIRE THE COLLECTION OR DISCLOSURE 14
OF INDIVIDUALLY IDENTIFIABLE PATIENT INFORMATION OR ANY OTHER DATA THAT 15
MAY COMPROMISE PATIENT PRIVACY OR CONFIDENTIALITY. 16

20–220. 17

(A) ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 1 EACH YEAR , BEGINNING IN 2026, THE 18
DEPARTMENT SHALL SUBM IT A COMPREHENSIVE R EPORT TO THE GENERAL 19
ASSEMBLY, IN ACCORDANCE WITH § 2–1257 OF THE STATE GOVERNMENT ARTICLE, 20
AND MAKE THE REPORT PUBLICLY AVAILABLE ON ITS WEBSITE. 21

(B) THE REPORT SHALL INCLUDE THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION FOR THE 22
IMMEDIATELY PRECEDING FISCAL YEAR: 23

(1) AGGREGATED COST DATA FOR EACH CATEGORY OF CARE 24
DESCRIBED UNDER § 20–218(A) OF THIS SUBTITLE; 25

(2) COMPARATIVE DATA BY REGION WITHIN THE STATE; 26

(3) ANALYSIS OF TRENDS IN THE COSTS OF EACH CATEGORY OF CARE 27
OVER TIME; AND 28

(4) RECOMMENDATIONS, IF ANY, FOR IMPROVING COST EFFICIENCY. 29

6 HOUSE BILL 1451

(C) THE REPORT: 1

(1) MAY NOT INCLUDE ANY P ERSONALLY IDENTIFIAB LE 2
INFORMATION; AND 3

(2) SHALL COMPLY WITH ALL APPLICABLE FEDERAL A ND STATE 4
PRIVACY LAWS, INCLUDING THE FEDERAL HEALTH INSURANCE PORTABILITY AND 5
ACCOUNTABILITY ACT. 6

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect June 7
1, 2026. 8