So EveryBODY Can Move!
Insurance Coverage of Activity Specific Devices
February 2024 UPDATE on Bills in the Maryland legislature
Maryland’s legislative session is in full swing! We are excited to announce that we have secured primary bill sponsors in both the Maryland Senate and Maryland House of Delegates, and both bills have been introduced in the Legislature! The process is far from over, but this is a huge step forward. We sincerely appreciate the support of our primary bill sponsors: Senator Pam Beidle (pictured above), Senator Sarah Elfreth, and Delegate Ashanti Martinez. Delegate Martinez also secured 10 co-sponsors for the House bill.
Our bill numbers are: SB0614/HB0865. The MD Senate hearing was held on 2/14 and our House bill hearing took place on 2/15! You can read about the bills here. The bills are cross-filed, which means right now, the language is the same for each bill.
We have been meeting with members of the legislature to ask for their support, and the response has been very positive. That being said, we need everyone's support to show our state senators and representatives that the Maryland community wants these bills to pass.
What we need from you is:
1. Sign a letter of support from the medical professionals, patients, and O&P companies in Maryland for this bill: To have your name and employer added, please fill out this short Google form.
2. If you are a medical professional, encourage your colleagues to show their support: Please ask your colleagues—other PTs, OTs, social workers, physicians if they will sign onto the written testimony. You can share the link provided above with them.
3. Most importantly, if you are a patient, make sure your voice is heard! The most powerful way to move our legislators is for patients to share why this bill should be passed, and that they are only limited by access to the appropriate O&P devices. Patients who are MD residents can engage in multiple ways:
- Fill out the Google form to be added to a letter of support from patients that we will put together
- Email legislators to express support for the bill
We look forward to keeping you informed of our progress with this initiative. Thank you all for your support. For more information, please email us at: SEBCM.MD@gmail.com
Dankmeyer’s Sheryl N Sachs, MSPO, CPO is one of the national leaders in this initiative and is working hard in Maryland to promote legal action to accomplish these goals. A long time patient advocate, Sheryl has written more about advocacy efforts on our Advocacy page.