Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Psychiatric Rehabilitation Program Services - Reimbursement (Youth Psychiatric Rehabilitation Parity Act of 2026)
HB 71, the Youth Psychiatric Rehabilitation Parity Act of 2026, would require the Maryland Department of Health to adopt regulations directing the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to reimburse psychiatric rehabilitation programs for a minimum and maximum number of community psychiatric support services provided each month. The reimbursement requirement would apply to services delivered on-site or off-site to certain individuals with a serious emotional disturbance or a serious and persistent mental disorder, severe functional impairment, and a legal caregiver relationship with a parent, guardian, or relative.
The bill sets a floor of 6 reimbursable services per month and a ceiling of 30 reimbursable services per month for each eligible individual. It also requires the Department of Health to issue the implementing regulations by December 1, 2026, with the act taking effect June 1, 2026. In practical terms, the bill would add a new statutory mandate within the Health – General Article governing Medicaid reimbursement for youth psychiatric rehabilitation services.
HB 71 would amend the Health – General Article by adding a new section, § 15-103.9, that compels the Department of Health to regulate Medicaid reimbursement for psychiatric rehabilitation program community psychiatric support services. The bill would affect the Maryland Medical Assistance Program, psychiatric rehabilitation providers, and eligible youth receiving mental health support services, by establishing a required reimbursement range and a regulatory deadline for implementation.
No committee transcripts or recorded votes are available, so there is no detailed public debate to assess. The bill’s title and structure suggest a policy goal of expanding or standardizing access to youth mental health services through Medicaid reimbursement, but the only recorded action is that it was withdrawn by the sponsor in the House. That withdrawal indicates the measure did not advance to a recorded vote or formal committee decision.
Because there are no transcripts or votes, specific points of contention are not documented. Based on the bill text, likely issues would include the fiscal impact of mandating reimbursement levels, whether the minimum and maximum service limits are appropriate, and how the new rules would affect provider billing and utilization management. Any disagreement would likely center on Medicaid costs, administrative burden, and whether the reimbursement mandate is the best way to support youth psychiatric rehabilitation services.