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SENATE BILL 892
J2, J1, J5 6lr2668
CF HB 1121
By: Senators Gile, Beidle, Hester, King, Love, and Hettleman
Introduced and read first time: February 6, 2026
Assigned to: Finance
Committee Report: Favorable with amendments
Senate action: Adopted
Read second time: March 3, 2026
CHAPTER ______
AN ACT concerning 1
Health Occupations, Public Health – Perimenopausal, Menopausal, and 2
Postmenopausal Conditions, and Insurance – Menopause – Provider Training 3
Coverage Requirements, Policy Initiatives, and Access to Care 4
FOR the purpose of altering the membership of the State Advisory Council on Health and 5
Wellness; requiring certain health occupations boards that require a licensee 6
licensees or certificate holder holders to complete certain continuing education 7
requirements as a condition of renewal to grant at least a certain amount of 8
continuing education credits for completing con tinuing education on 9
perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal evaluation and treatment to 10
grant a certain number of hours for every hour of continuing education for 11
menopause and menopause –associated symptoms; authorizing certain health 12
occupations boards to establish a maximum number of certain continuing education 13
credits granted; requiring the Department to identify a certain training program in 14
consultation with certain professional associations; requiring certain insurers, 15
nonprofit health servic e plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide 16
coverage for the evaluation and management of menopause and 17
menopause–associated conditions ; requiring the Maryland Health Care 18
Commission, the Maryland Commission for Women, Women and the Maryland 19
Department of Health to take certain actions related to perimenopausal, 20
menopausal, and postmenopausal conditions; and generally relating to 21
perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal conditions provider training, 22
health insurance coverage, policy init iatives, and access to care related to 23
menopause. 24
2 SENATE BILL 892
BY repealing and reenacting, without amendments, 1
Article – Health – General 2
Section 13–201 3
Annotated Code of Maryland 4
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 5
BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments, 6
Article – Health – General 7
Section 13–203 8
Annotated Code of Maryland 9
(2023 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 10
BY adding to 11
Article – Health Occupations 12
Section 1–231 13
Annotated Code of Maryland 14
(2021 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 15
BY adding to 16
Article – Insurance 17
Section 15–864 18
Annotated Code of Maryland 19
(2017 Replacement Volume and 2025 Supplement) 20
SECTION 1. BE IT ENACTED BY THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF MARYLAND, 21
That the Laws of Maryland read as follows: 22
Article – Health – General 23
13–201. 24
In this subtitle, “Advisory Council” means the State Advisory Council on Health and 25
Wellness. 26
13–203. 27
(a) The Advisory Council consists of [34] voting members appointed by the 28
Secretary. 29
(b) The following members shall serve without term limits: 30
(1) The Secretary [of Health], or the Secretary’s designee; 31
(2) The State Superintendent of Schools , or the State Superintendent’s 32
designee; 33
(3) The Secretary of Aging, or the Secretary’s designee; 34
SENATE BILL 892 3
(4) The Secretary of Disabilities, or the Secretary’s designee; 1
(5) A representative of the Maryland Office of Minority Health and Health 2
Disparities; [and] 3
(6) A representative of the Maryland Association of County Health 4
Officers; AND 5
(7) THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF T HE MARYLAND COMMISSION 6
FOR WOMEN, OR THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR’S DESIGNEE. 7
(c) The following members are subject to term limits: 8
(1) One representative of the American Heart Association Mid –Atlantic, 9
Inc., nominated by the Executive Director of the Association; 10
(2) One representative of the Arthritis Foundation, Mid –Atlantic Region, 11
Maryland, nominated by the Executive Director of the Foundation; 12
(3) One representative of the American Diabetes Association, Maryland 13
Chapter, nominated by the Executive Director of the Association; 14
(4) One representative of Johns Hopkins Medicine, nominated by the Chief 15
Executive Officer of Johns Hopkins Medicine; 16
(5) One representative of MedChi, the Maryland State Medical Society, 17
nominated by the Executive Director of MedChi; 18
(6) One representative of the University of Maryland Medical Center and 19
University of Maryland School of Medicine, nominated by the Chief Executive Officer of the 20
Medical Center and the Dean of the School of Medicine; 21
(7) One representative of the Maryland Chapter of the American Academy 22
of Pediatrics, nominated by the Executive Director of the Chapter; 23
(8) One representative of the Maryland Nurses Association, nominated by 24
the Executive Director of the Association; 25
(9) One representative of the Maryland Academy of Nutrition and 26
Dietetics, nominated by the President of the Academy; 27
(10) One representative of the Maryland Chapter of the American College of 28
Emergency Physicians, nominated by the President of the Chapter; [and] 29
4 SENATE BILL 892
(11) ONE REPRESENTATIVE WI TH EXPERTISE IN PERI MENOPAUSAL, 1
MENOPAUSAL, AND POSTMENOPAUSAL EVALUATION AND TREATMENT; AND 2
(12) [Eighteen] SEVENTEEN members of the public, who may include: 3
(i) Individuals with a chronic disease or family members of an 4
individual with a chronic disease; 5
(ii) Licensed health care providers; 6
(iii) Individuals with a physical fitness background; 7
(iv) Employers or representatives of the business sector; 8
(v) Representatives of health insurers; 9
(vi) Representatives of community–based organizations; and 10
(vii) Individuals with expressed interest in health and wellness. 11
(d) (1) This subsection applies to members who are subject to term limits. 12
(2) The term of a member is 4 years. 13
(3) The terms of members are staggered as required by the terms provided 14
for members of the Advisory Council on October 1, 2017. 15
(4) A member may serve two consecutive full terms. 16
(5) At the end of a term, a member continues to serve until a successor is 17
appointed and qualifies. 18
(6) A member who is appointed after a term has begun serves only for the 19
rest of the term and until a successor is appointed and qualifies. 20
(7) A member who serves two consecutive full 4 –year terms may not be 21
reappointed for 4 years after the completion of those terms. 22
(e) If a vacancy occurs, the Secretary promptly shall appoint a successor. 23
SECTION 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland read 24
as follows: 25
Article – Health Occupations 26
1–231. 27
SENATE BILL 892 5
(A) THIS SUBTITLE DOES NOT APPLY TO A LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE ISSUED 1
BY A HEALTH OCCUPATIONS BOARD UNDER TITLE 7, 9, 20, OR 21 OF THIS ARTICLE. 2
(B) (1) SUBJECT TO PARAGRAPH (2) OF THIS SUBSECTION, EACH HEALTH 3
OCCUPATIONS BOARD TH AT REQUIRES A LICENS EE OR CERTIFICA TE HOLDER TO 4
COMPLETE CONTINUING EDUCATION AS A CONDI TION OF THE RENEWAL OF THE 5
LICENSE OR CERTIFICA TE SHALL GRANT AT LE AST 2 HOURS OF CONTINUING 6
EDUCATION CREDITS FO R EVERY HOUR OF CONT INUING EDUCATION ON 7
PERIMENOPAUSAL, MENOPAUSAL, AND POSTMENOPAUSAL E VALUATION AND 8
TREATMENT THAT THE LICENSEE OR CERTIFICATE HOLDER COMPLETES. 9
(2) A HEALTH OCCUPATIONS B OARD MAY ESTABLISH A MAXIMUM 10
NUMBER OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS TH AT MAY BE GRANTED UN DER 11
PARAGRAPH (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION. 12
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES ONLY TO A LICENSEE OR CERTIFICATE HOLDER 13
WHO EVALUATES AND MA NAGES MENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE–ASSOCIATED 14
SYMPTOMS WHILE ACTING WITHIN THE SCOPE OF THE LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE. 15
(B) EACH HEALTH OCCUPATIO NS BOARD THAT REQUIR ES A LICENSEE OR 16
CERTIFICATE HOLDER TO COMPLETE CONTINUING EDUCATION AS A CONDITION OF 17
THE RENEWAL OF THE LICENSE OR CERTIFICATE SHALL GRANT AT LEAST 2 HOURS 18
OF CONTINUING EDUCAT ION CREDITS FOR EVER Y 1 HOUR OF CONTINUING 19
EDUCATION ON MENOPAU SE AND MENOPAUSE –ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS 20
COMPLETED BY THE LICENSEE OR CERTIFICATE HOLDER. 21
(C) (1) THE DEPARTMENT SHALL IDEN TIFY AT LEAST ONE TR AINING 22
PROGRAM FOR LICENSEE S AND CERTIFICATE HO LDERS REGARDING THE 23
EVALUATION AND MANAG EMENT OF MENOPAUSE A ND MENOPAUSE –ASSOCIATED 24
SYMPTOMS THAT MAY BE USED FOR THE PURPOSES OF SUBSECTI ON (B) OF THIS 25
SECTION. 26
(2) IN IDENTIFYING A TRAINING PROGRAM UNDER PARAGRAPH (1) OF 27
THIS SUBSECTION , THE DEPARTMENT SHALL CONS ULT WITH PROFESSIONA L 28
ASSOCIATIONS WITH EX PERTISE IN MENOPAUSE AND MENOPAUSE –ASSOCIATED 29
SYMPTOMS, INCLUDING THE MENOPAUSE SOCIETY. 30
(D) A HEALTH OCCUPATIONS BOARD SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION MAY ADOPT 31
REGULATIONS TO CARRY OUT THIS SECTION , INCLUDING REGULATION S 32
ESTABLISHING THE MAXIMUM NUMBER OF CONTINUING EDUCATION CREDITS THAT 33
MAY BE GRANTED UNDER THIS SECTION. 34
6 SENATE BILL 892
SECTION 3. 2. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Laws of Maryland 1
Health Care Commission shall read as follows: 2
(1) in consultation with the Maryland Department of Health, the Maryland 3
Insurance Administration, and the Maryland Commission for Women, evaluate coverage 4
and barriers to coverage of the evaluation and treatment of perimenopausal, menopausal, 5
and postmenopausal conditions, including coverage of hormone replacement therapy and 6
preauthorization and step–therapy requirements; and 7
(2) on or before December 1, 2026, shall report its findings and 8
recommendations to the Senate Finance Committee and the House Health Committee, in 9
accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 10
Article – Insurance 11
15–864. 12
(A) THIS SECTION APPLIES TO: 13
(1) INSURERS AND NONPROF IT HEALTH SERVICE PL ANS THAT 14
PROVIDE HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS 15
ON AN EXPENSE –INCURRED BASIS UNDER HEALTH INSURANCE POL ICIES OR 16
CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE; AND 17
(2) HEALTH MAINTENANCE O RGANIZATIONS THAT PR OVIDE 18
HOSPITAL, MEDICAL, OR SURGICAL BENEFITS TO INDIVIDUALS OR GROUPS UNDER 19
CONTRACTS THAT ARE ISSUED OR DELIVERED IN THE STATE. 20
(B) AN ENTITY SUBJECT TO THIS SECTION SHALL PROVIDE COVERAGE FOR 21
THE EVALUATION AND M ANAGEMENT OF MENOPAU SE AND 22
MENOPAUSE–ASSOCIATED SYMPTOMS AS DETERMINED BY THE TREATING HEALTH 23
CARE PROVIDER. 24
SECTION 4. 3. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Maryland Commission 25
for Women shall: 26
(1) evaluate opportunities for State policy initiatives that improve the 27
health and economic security of individuals in the State with perimenopausal, menopausal, 28
and postmenopausal conditions; and 29
(2) on or before October 1, 2027, report its findings and recommendations 30
to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 31
SECTION 5. 4. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Maryland Department 32
of Health shall: 33
SENATE BILL 892 7
(1) in consultation with the Sta te Community Health Worker Advisory 1
Committee, evaluate and develop an action plan to increase access to perimenopausal, 2
menopausal, and postmenopausal health care services through the outreach of community 3
health workers to consumers; and 4
(2) on or before October 1, 2027, submit its evaluation and recommended 5
action plan to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government 6
Article. 7
SECTION 6. 5. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That the Maryland Department 8
of Health shall: 9
(1) in consultation with health care provider professional associations and 10
institutions of higher education, including community colleges, evaluate methods for 11
increasing opportunities for clinical education, including postgraduate education, on 12
perimenopausal, menopausal, and postmenopausal evaluation and treatment; and 13
(2) on or before October 1, 2027, report its findings and recommendations 14
to the General Assembly, in accordance with § 2–1257 of the State Government Article. 15
SECTION 6. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 2 of this Act shall 16
apply to all policies, contracts, and health benefit plans issued, delivered, or renewed in the 17
State on or after January 1, 2027. 18
SECTION 7. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 2 of this Act shall take 19
effect January 1, 2027. 20
SECTION 7. 8. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That Section 2 1 of this Act shall 21
take effect October 1, 2026. 22
SECTION 8. 9. AND BE IT FURTHER ENACTED, That, except as provided in 23
Section 7 Sections 7 and 8 of this Act, this Act shall take effect July 1, 2026. 24
Approved:
________________________________________________________________________________
Governor.
________________________________________________________________________________
President of the Senate.
________________________________________________________________________________
Speaker of the House of Delegates.