WILLIAM DONALD SCHAEFER, Governor

Ch. 614

studies and directives reported to the Committee on or
before certain dates; requiring the Department to annually
evaluate and report to the General Assembly on certain
changes made to the Program; prohibiting the Health
Resources Planning Commission from receiving or acting on
certain Letters of Intent or certain Certificate of Need
applications received on or after a certain date until after
a certain date to permit the Program to reevaluate certain
community-based initiatives; providing for a certain
effective date; and generally relating to the Maryland
Medical Assistance Program.

BY adding to

Article - Health - General

Section 15-102.1, 15-102.2, and 15-103.1, 15-106.1,

15-106.2, and 15-120.1
Annotated Code of Maryland
(1987 Replacement Volume and 1988 Supplement)

BY repealing and reenacting, with amendments,

Article - Health - General

Section 15-102 and 15-103

Annotated Code of Maryland

(1987 Replacement Volume and 1988 Supplement)

Preamble

WHEREAS, During the 1988 Interim a Special Joint Legislative
Committee on the Medical Assistance Program was established to
undertake a comprehensive review of Maryland's Medical Assistance
Program; and

WHEREAS, The Special Joint Legislative Committee found that
there is currently no well defined public policy for Maryland's
Medical Assistance Program; and

WHEREAS, The Program's eligibility and service limits have
been established administratively and on a piecemeal basis
through the budget process and by regulations; and

WHEREAS, The Program lacks cohesiveness and a sense of
overall direction; and

WHEREAS, The effects of changes made to the Program are
seldom measured against initial projections; and

WHEREAS, While the The Program provides a wide array of
services, those services are afforded to only a relatively
limited segment of the indigent population; and

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