MD HB429

Counties may request authority to augment State nursing home survey staff using county funds if the Maryland Department of Health falls 6 months or more behind the federal requirement of conducting nursing home surveys every 15.9 months by July 1, 2026

The Department must initiate a memorandum of understanding and develop an implementation plan with a requesting county within 45 days of the request

Beginning July 1, 2025, and every 6 months thereafter, the Department must report to each area agency on aging the names and survey dates of nursing homes surveyed in each county, plus the statewide average interval between recertification surveys compared to the federal 15.9-month requirement

Memoranda of understanding may not restrict a county's progression to the next survey tier if an exemption is authorized by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services

The Act takes effect June 1, 2025