Ch. 356                                    2004 LAWS OF MARYLAND

(I) PROGRAM;

(II) MARYLAND PHARMACY ASSISTANCE PROGRAM;

(III) MARYLAND PRESCRIPTION DRUG PROGRAM; AND

(IV) ANY OTHER ASSISTANCE PROGRAM OFFERED BY THE
DEPARTMENT.

(1)     DEVELOP AND IMPLEMENT A PLAN FOR MAKING THE ADVANCE
DIRECTIVE INFORMATION FORM SHEET DEVELOPED UNDER § 5-615 OF THIS ARTICLE
WIDELY AVAILABLE; AND

(2)      MAKE INFORMATION ON AN ADVANCE DIRECTIVE THE FORM
INFORMATION SHEET DESCRIBED IN ITEM (1) OF THIS SUBSECTION AVAILABLE IN A
CONSPICUOUS LOCATION IN EACH LOCAL HEALTH DEPARTMENT, AND IN EACH
LOCAL DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES, AND IN COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS.

(B)     THE DEPARTMENT SHALL IMPLEMENT THE PLAN ON OR BEFORE JUNE 30,

2005:

(C)     DURING THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE PLAN UNDER SUBSECTION (A) OF
THIS SECTION AND THE FORM INFORMATION SHEET UNDER § 5-615 OF THIS
ARTICLE, THE OFFICE OF THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SHALL CONSULT WITH ANY
INTERESTED PARTY INCLUDING THE STATE ADVISORY COUNCIL ON QUALITY CARE
AT THE END OF LIFE.

19-134.

(c) (1) The Commission shall:

(i) Establish and implement a system to comparatively evaluate
the quality of care outcomes and performance measurements of health maintenance
organization benefit plans and services on an objective basis; and

(ii) Annually publish the summary findings of the evaluation.

(2)     The purpose of a comparable performance measurement system
established under this subsection is to assist health maintenance organization benefit
plans to improve the quality of care provided by establishing a common set of
performance measurements and disseminating the findings of the performance
measurements to health maintenance organizations and interested parties.

(3)     The system, where appropriate, shall solicit performance information
from enrollees of health maintenance organizations.

(4)     (i) The Commission shall adopt regulations to establish the system
of evaluation provided under this subsection.

(ii) Before adopting regulations to implement an evaluation system
under this subsection, the Commission shall consider any recommendations of the
quality of care subcommittee of the Group Health Association of America and the
National Committee for Quality Assurance.

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