Ch. 614

LAWS OF MARYLAND

WHEREAS, While State expenditures for the Program have
almost doubled between F.Y. 1982 and F.Y. 1989, but Program
enrollment has declined; and

WHEREAS, The Program provides relatively good reimbursement
for institutional services such as hospitals and comprehensive
care facilities, but relatively poor reimbursement for
noninstitutional services such as physician visits; and

WHEREAS, Program reimbursement practices provide little
incentive There is a need to provide better Program reimbursement
procedures for less expensive and preventive care; and

WHEREAS, Program recipients have good access to hospital and
nursing home care but may have difficulty finding a physician to
provide primary health care; and

WHEREAS, Access to and continuity of care for Program
recipients are hampered by shortages of primary care providers in
areas where Program recipients reside, a lack of consumer
education about good health habits, limits on coverage of certain
types of providers and on services for people with particular
disabilities, and a lack of coordination among the State agencies
and private providers involved in the Program; and

WHEREAS, The number of low birth weight babies born in
Maryland and the State's infant mortality rate remains
unacceptably high; and

WHEREAS, In order to adequately follow up on the findings
and recommendations made, the Special Joint Legislative Committee
should be continued; now, therefore,

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

Article - Health - General

15-102.

(A)  The Department shall provide preventive and home care
services for indigent and medically indigent individuals.

(B)  (1) THE PROGRAM SHALL PROVIDE PROMOTE EDUCATIONAL
OPPORTUNITIES FOR RECIPIENTS ON:

(I)  PREVENTIVE HEALTH CARE;

(II)  GOOD HEALTH HABITS; AND

(III)  THE VALUE OF DEVELOPING ONGOING
RELATIONSHIPS WITH PRIMARY CARE AND LOWER COST PROVIDERS.

- 3704 -