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*hb1565*
HOUSE BILL 1565
P4, J1, J5 6lr3372
By: Delegates Miller, Martinez, Hornberger, Hutchinson, McComas, Nkongolo,
Schmidt, and Wivell
Introduced and read first time: February 13, 2026
Assigned to: Health and Appropriations
A BILL ENTITLED
AN ACT concerning 1
Public Health – Obesity Management and Treatment Programs 2
(Healthy Maryland for Every Body) 3
FOR the purpose of requiring the Secretary of Budget and Management to include a certain 4
obesity management and treatment program in the State Employee and Retiree 5
Health and Welfare Benefits Program; establishing requirements for the obesity 6
management and treatment progra m; requiring certain insurers, nonprofit health 7
service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for an 8
obesity management and treatment program for certain individuals who have been 9
diagnosed with obesity, diabetes, or other obesity–related conditions; and generally 10
relating to the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare Benefits Program 11
and coverage of obesity management and treatment programs by health insurance 12
carriers. 13
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 14
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 15
Section 2–501(a) and (c) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 19
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 20
Section 2–503 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2024 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 23
BY adding to 24
Article – Insurance 25
Section 15–839.1 26
Annotated Code of Maryland 27
2 HOUSE BILL 1565
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 1
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 2
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 3
Article – State Personnel and Pensions 4
2–501. 5
(a) In this subtitle the following terms have the meanings indicated. 6
(c) “Program” means the State Employee and Retiree Health and Welfare 7
Benefits Program. 8
2–503. 9
(a) The Secretary shall: 10
(1) adopt regulations for the administration of the Program; 11
(2) ensure that the Program complies with: 12
(i) all federal and State laws governing employee benefit plans; and 13
(ii) §§ 15 –826, 15 –826.1, 15 –826.2, and, as applicable to 14
contraceptive drugs and devices, 15–831(a) through (d) of the Insurance Article; 15
(3) each year, recommend to the Governor the State share of the costs of 16
the Program; and 17
(4) make ongoing eligibility determinations to ensure that participation in 18
the Program does not impede, undermine, or conflict with federal compliance obligations or 19
government and cafeteria plan status. 20
(b) (1) The Secretary may arrange as the Secretary considers appropriate any 21
benefit option for inclusion in the Program. 22
(2) The Secretary shall include in the Program an option to purchase up to 23
$200,000 of additional life insurance coverage for employees who: 24
(i) fly in a helicopter in the course of their employment with the 25
State; 26
(ii) scuba dive in the course of their employment with the State; or 27
HOUSE BILL 1565 3
(iii) as a result of their employment with the State, face a significant 1
likelihood of receiving a less favorable life insurance rating than an individual employed in 2
a nonhazardous position. 3
(3) (i) The Secretary shall include a wellness program in the Program. 4
(ii) The wellness program shall: 5
1. be developed in consultation with the Secretary of Health; 6
2. promote the goals of the Maryland Department of Health 7
State Health Improvement Process; and 8
3. aim to achieve savings in the Program over time that 9
exceed the costs of the wellness program. 10
(4) (I) THE SECRETARY SHALL INCLUDE AN OBESITY TREATMENT 11
AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM IN THE PROGRAM. 12
(II) THE OBESITY TREATMENT AN D MANAGEM ENT PROGRAM 13
SHALL: 14
1. BE DEVELOPED IN CONS ULTATION WITH THE 15
SECRETARY OF HEALTH; 16
2. PROMOTE EVIDENCE–BASED, INTENSIVE, 17
MULTICOMPONENT BEHAVIORAL AND LIFESTYLE MODIFICATION INTERVENTIONS 18
THAT SUPPORT HEALTHY WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FOR INDIVIDUALS DIAGNOSE D 19
WITH OBESITY, DIABETES, AND OTHER OBESITY–RELATED CONDITIONS; 20
3. FOR THE PURPOSE OF P REVENTING OR DELAYIN G 21
THE ONSET OF TYPE 2 DIABETES, INCLUDE STRUCTURED BEHAVIORA L CHANGE 22
SESSIONS APPROVED BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; 23
4. PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR: 24
A. MEDICATION APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL FOOD AND 25
DRUG ADMINISTRATION FOR CHRONIC WEIGHT M ANAGEMENT IN INDIVID UALS 26
DIAGNOSED WITH OBESITY, DIABETES, AND OTHER OBESITY–RELATED CONDITIONS; 27
AND 28
B. METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY; AND 29
5. PROVIDE SERVICES IN OFFICE–BASED, VIRTUAL, AND 30
COMMUNITY–BASED SETTINGS TO SUPPORT STATE EMPLOYEE ACCESS. 31
4 HOUSE BILL 1565
(III) THE OBESITY TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROGR AM 1
MAY APPLY UTILIZATION MA NAGEMENT AND PRIOR A UTHORIZATION 2
REQUIREMENTS TO DETE RMINE MEDICAL NECESS ITY FOR THE TREATMEN T OF 3
OBESITY IF: 4
1. MEDICAL NECESSITY DE TERMINATIONS ARE MAD E 5
USING THE SAME STAND ARDS APPLIED TO THE TREATMENT OF OTHER C HRONIC 6
DISEASES; AND 7
2. UTILIZATION MANAGEME NT PRACTICES ARE NOT 8
APPLIED IN A MANNER THAT IS MORE RESTRIC TIVE THA N THOSE USED FOR 9
COMPARABLE MEDICAL OR SURGICAL BENEFITS. 10
(c) The Secretary shall specify by regulation the types or categories of State 11
employees who: 12
(1) are eligible to enroll and participate in the Program with State 13
subsidies; 14
(2) are eligible to enroll and participate in the Program without State 15
subsidies; and 16
(3) are not eligible to enroll or participate in the Program. 17
(d) (1) The regulations adopted by the Secretary shall include provis ions for 18
the enrollment and participation of employees of all: 19
(i) organizations and entities that were participating in the 20
Program as satellite organizations on January 1, 1993; and 21
(ii) employee organizations that qualify for payroll deductions under 22
the provisions of § 2–403 of this title. 23
(2) Employees of organizations and entities covered by this section may 24
participate: 25
(i) without State subsidies; and 26
(ii) with payment by the organization or entity of administrative 27
costs resulting from the participation of its employees in the Program. 28
(3) The regulations adopted by the Secretary under this subsection shall 29
provide that an employee organization specified in paragraph (1)(ii) of this subsection: 30
HOUSE BILL 1565 5
(i) may not enroll or participate in the Program unless the 1
organization has notified the Secretary, in writing, on or before July 1, 1994 of the 2
organization’s intent to enroll and participate in the Program during calendar year 1994; 3
and 4
(ii) may not enroll or participate in the Program on or after January 5
1, 1995 unless the organization has participated in the Program during calendar year 1994. 6
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 7
as follows: 8
Article – Insurance 9
15–839.1. 10
(A) IN THIS SECTION, “OBESITY TREATMENT AND MANAGEMENT PROGRAM” 11
MEANS A PROGRAM THAT: 12
(1) PROMOTES EVIDENCE –BASED, INTENSIVE, MULTICOMPONENT 13
BEHAVIORAL AND LIFES TYLE MODIFICATION IN TERVENTIONS THAT SUP PORT 14
HEALTHY WEIGHT MANAGEMENT FO R INDIVIDUALS DIAGNO SED WITH O BESITY, 15
DIABETES, AND OTHER OBESITY–RELATED CONDITIONS; 16
(2) FOR THE PURPOSE OF PREVENTING OR DELAYING THE ONSET OF 17
TYPE 2 DIABETES, INCLUDES STRUCTURED BEHAVIORA L CHANGE SESSIONS 18
APPROVED BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION; 19
(3) PROVIDES: 20
(I) MEDICATION APPROVED BY THE FEDERAL FOOD AND DRUG 21
ADMINISTRATION FOR CH RONIC WEIGHT MANAGEM ENT IN INDIVIDUALS 22
DIAGNOSED WITH OBESITY, DIABETES, AND OTHER OBESITY–RELATED CONDITIONS; 23
AND 24
(II) METABOLIC AND BARIATRIC SURGERY; AND 25
(4) PROVIDES SERVICES IN OFFICE–BASED, VIRTUAL, AND 26
COMMUNITY–BASED SETTINGS TO SUPPORT ACCESS. 27
(B) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO: 28
(1) INSURERS AND NONPROF IT HEALTH SERVICE PL ANS THAT 29
PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS U NDER INDIVIDUAL, GROUP, OR 30
6 HOUSE BILL 1565
BLANKET H EALTH INSURANCE POLI CIES OR CONTRACTS TH AT ARE USED OR 1
DELIVERED IN THE STATE; AND 2
(2) HEALTH MAINTENANCE O RGANIZATIONS THAT PR OVIDE 3
COVERAGE FOR PRESCRIPTION DRUGS UNDER INDIVIDUAL OR GROUP CONTRACTS 4
THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE. 5
(C) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR 6
THE OBESITY TREATMEN T AND MANAGEMENT PRO GRAM TO AN INDIVIDUA L WHO 7
HAS BEEN DIAGNOSED W ITH OBESITY , DIABETES, OR OTHER OBESITY–RELATED 8
CONDITIONS. 9
SECTION 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall apply to all 10
policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the State on or 11
after January 1, 2027. 12
SECTION 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Sections 2 and 3 of this Act 13
shall take effect January 1, 2027. 14
SECTION 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, except as provided in Section 15
4 of this Act, this Act shall take effect October 1, 2026. 16