Bill > HB1106

This bill establishes the Maryland Commission on Women's Health Advancement, a group tasked with studying the feasibility of creating a state women's hospital in Southern Maryland and a statewide network of clinics to improve women's health by addressing their unique health challenges throughout their lives. The Commission will be composed of various members, including state legislators, the Attorney General or their designee, healthcare professionals from various specialties like obstetrics and gynecology, patient advocates, experts on health disparities from different regions of the state, representatives from specific university programs, insurance professionals, and data and technology experts, with an aim to reflect the state's diversity. The Commission is required to analyze the need for a centralized women's hospital with outpatient clinics, examine existing healthcare gaps, assess the financial viability and initiate a "Certificate of Need" (a regulatory process to ensure new healthcare facilities are needed) for such a hospital and clinics, and investigate alternative models like a coordinated network of existing services. By January 1, 2027, the Commission must submit an initial action plan with a timeline and research objectives, followed by annual progress reports until July 1, 2032, and a final report by December 1, 2032, detailing its findings and recommendations on the need, funding, implementation, and structure of the proposed women's hospital and clinical network. This Act will take effect on July 1, 2026, and will be automatically repealed after seven years, on June 30, 2033.