Fed Event: Nov. 22, Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council Public Meeting

Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council: Public Meetings to Be Held on Draft Recommendations

November 22, 2010,Langley Park Community Center, 1500 Merrimac Drive, Hyattsville, MD 20783, All meetings will be held from 6-8 p.m

Public Participation: The meetings are open to all members of the public. Participants will be given opportunity to make brief comments which should specifically address only the Council’s draft recommendations. Anyone who needs more time, is unable to attend, or would like to offer broader comment on health reform beyond the Council’s draft recommendations is invited to send written comments via the Council’s website, http://www.healthreform.maryland.gov



Purpose: To gather comment on the initial draft of recommendations the Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council will propose to implement federal health care reform and to improve health care in Maryland. The Council has proposed a draft report and draft recommendations which can be viewed by visiting http://www.healthreform.maryland.gov/ after November 18th.



Background: The federal Affordable Care Act is law, national health care reform is a reality, and implementation by the states has begun. Some important provisions are already expanding health care to more people, and Maryland must take several steps in 2011 as the nation prepares for the law to be fully implemented by 2014.



Governor Martin O’Malley established the Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council to recommend policy and strategies for implementing federal health care reform. Co-chaired by Lieutenant Governor Anthony Brown and Department of Health and Mental Hygiene Secretary John Colmers, the Council began planning immediately to ensure that Maryland has the laws and infrastructure necessary to achieve health reform implementation, Marylanders have the information necessary to take full advantage of it, and that cost containment and quality measures continue to be part of the health care reform package.



The Council’s final recommendations, due to the Governor and Legislature by January 1, 2011, will address:

· The ways and means to enroll people who will be newly eligible for health insurance

· Assurances for maintaining a healthcare safety net

· Increases to the primary healthcare workforce

· Development of cost-efficient, quality payment systems

· Means and methods to distribute health care information to the public

Locations are handicapped accessible. If special accommodations are needed, please contact Wynee Hawk, Director, Office of Government Affairs at 410-767-6481 or whawk@dhmh.state.md.us

For more information: Visit the Maryland Health Care Reform Coordinating Council website at http://www.healthreform.maryland.gov/.