SB0798 • 2026

Public Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Tobacco Cessation

Budget Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Senator Lam
Last action: 2026-02-12
Official status: In the Senate - Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m. (Finance)
Effective date: 2026-10-01

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

Public Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Tobacco Cessation

Requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide, subject to the limitations of the State budget and as permitted by federal law, individual and group counseling for the purpose of tobacco cessation; and prohibiting the Program and managed care organizations from requiring prior authorization for any product or service for use in tobacco cessation.

What This Bill Does

Requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide, subject to the limitations of the State budget and as permitted by federal law, individual and group counseling for the purpose of tobacco cessation; and prohibiting the Program and managed care organizations from requiring prior authorization for any product or service for use in tobacco cessation.

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-02-12 Senate
Hearing 3/10 at 1:00 p.m. (Finance)
2026-02-06 Senate
First Reading Finance and Budget and Taxation
Maryland General Assembly
Text - First - Public Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Tobacco Cessation

Official Summary Text

Requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide, subject to the limitations of the State budget and as permitted by federal law, individual and group counseling for the purpose of tobacco cessation; and prohibiting the Program and managed care organizations from requiring prior authorization for any product or service for use in tobacco cessation.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

EXPLANATION: CAPITALS INDICATE MATTER ADDED TO EXISTING LAW.
[Brackets] indicate matter deleted from existing law.
*sb0798*

SENATE BILL 798
J1 6lr2572
CF 6lr2010
By: Senator Lam
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Finance and Budget and Taxation

A BILL ENTITLED

AN ACT concerning 1

Public Health – Maryland Medical Assistance Program – Tobacco Cessation 2

FOR the purpose of requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide, subject 3
to the limitations of the State budget and as permitted by federal law, individual and 4
group counseling for the purpose of tobacco cessation; prohibiting the Program and 5
managed care organization s from requiring prior authorization for any product or 6
service for use in tobacco cessation; and generally relating to the Maryland Medical 7
Assistance Program and tobacco cessation. 8

BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 9
Article – Health – General 10
Section 15–103(a)(1) 11
Annotated Code of Maryland 12
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 13

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 14
Article – Health – General 15
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxvii) and (xxviii) 16
Annotated Code of Maryland 17
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 18

BY adding to 19
Article – Health – General 20
Section 15–103(a)(2)(xxix) and 15–160 21
Annotated Code of Maryland 22
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 23

SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 24
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 25

Article – Health – General 26
2 SENATE BILL 798

15–103. 1

(a) (1) The Secretary shall administer the Maryland Medical Assistance 2
Program. 3

(2) The Program: 4

(xxvii) Beginning on January 1, 2026, if providing coverage for 5
the delivery of anesthesia, shall provide coverage for the delivery of anesthesia in 6
accordance with § 15–862 of the Insurance Article; [and] 7

(xxviii) Beginning on January 1, 2026, shall provide calcium score 8
testing in accordance with § 15–863 of the Insurance Article; AND 9

(XXIX) SHALL PROVIDE , SUBJECT TO THE LIMIT ATIONS OF 10
THE STATE BUDGET, AND AS PERMITTED BY FEDERAL LAW, INDIVIDUAL AND GROUP 11
COUNSELING FOR THE PURPOSE OF TOBACCO CESSATION. 12

15–160. 13

THE PROGRAM AND A MANAGED CARE O RGANIZATION MAY NOT REQUIRE A 14
PRIOR AUTHORIZATION FOR ANY PRODUCT OR SERVICE F OR USE IN ELIMINATIN G 15
AN INDIVIDUAL’S DEPENDENCE ON TOBACCO. 16

SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That this Act shall take effect 17
October 1, 2026. 18