Favorable
Committee: Finance
HB 1078
The Maryland Catholic Conference (MCC) is the public policy representative of the three (arch)dioceses serving Maryland, which together encompass over one million Marylanders. Statewide, their parishes, schools, hospitals, and numerous charities combine to form our state’s second largest social service provider network, behind only our state government.
House Bill 1078 requires the Maryland Medical Assistance Program to provide remote ultrasound procedures and remote fetal nonstress tests if the patient is in a residence or a location other than the office of the patient’s provider and the provider follows the same standard of care that the provider would follow when providing the services on-site.
House Bill 1078 aims to enhance accessibility to maternal-fetal medicine services, recognizing that many women may encounter high-risk pregnancies due to gestational diabetes, hypertension, or genetic diseases. Regular screening, facilitated by ultrasound technology, offers crucial information to physicians, enabling them to optimize pregnancy outcomes and ensure the overall health of both the mother and the baby throughout the full term.
These diagnostic ultrasounds play a vital role in examining various aspects such as fetal heart rate, amniotic volume, fetal position, organ development, and the fetal cardiovascular system. The availability of remote ultrasounds and fetal nonstress tests is essential in eliminating geographic barriers to care, ensuring that women can receive pertinent information about their personal health and that of their children.
Every life is sacred and a gift from God. With the advancements in technology, geographic disparities should not be the reason a child is not welcomed with love into this world.
For these reasons, the MCC asks for a favorable report on HB 1078. Thank you for your consideration.