Coverage for Orthoses and Prostheses Under Maryland Health Insurance
Summary
Maryland passed SB276 (So Every Body Can Move Act) requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program, health insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide coverage for orthoses and prostheses. The bill takes effect January 1, 2027, with coverage including all medically necessary devices for daily living, job-related activities, or physical activities as determined by a treating healthcare provider. The bill passed the Senate 43-0.
What changed
Maryland Senate Bill 276, the 'So Every Body Can Move Act,' passed on February 19, 2026, by a 43-0 Senate vote, creating new health insurance coverage mandates. The bill requires the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and regulated insurers to provide coverage for orthoses (effective January 1, 2027) and clarifies that mandated prostheses coverage includes all devices a treating healthcare provider determines medically necessary for completing daily living activities, essential job-related activities, or performing other physical activities. Coverage applies to nonprofit health service plans and health maintenance organizations in addition to traditional insurers.
Health insurers, HMOs, nonprofit health service plans, and the Maryland Medical Assistance Program must ensure coverage for orthoses is in place by January 1, 2027. Compliance teams should review current policy language, update coverage criteria to include orthoses, and confirm that prostheses determinations align with the treating provider standard. Entities should coordinate with network providers and assess capacity for increased demand for these devices.
What to do next
- Update health insurance policy language to include orthoses coverage by January 1, 2027
- Clarify prostheses coverage criteria to align with the treating healthcare provider medical necessity standard
- Coordinate with network providers to ensure adequate access to orthoses and prostheses
Source document (simplified)
ChangeBridge / Maryland / SB276 Passed SB276 Senate Bill Passed 2026-02-19
Maryland Medical Assistance Program and Health Insurance - Coverage for Orthoses and Prostheses (So Every Body Can Move Act)
Requiring the Maryland Medical Assistance Program and certain insurers, nonprofit health service plans, and health maintenance organizations to provide certain coverage related to orthoses beginning January 1, 2027; clarifying that certain mandated benefits related to prostheses include all prostheses determined by a treating health care provider to be medically necessary for completing daily living activities, essential job-related activities, or performing certain other physical activities; etc.
Bill Details
State Maryland
Session 2026 Regular Session
Chamber Senate
Official Source mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation...
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Sponsors
Pamela Beidle (Sen - D) Dawn Gile (Sen - D) Shelly Hettleman (Sen - D)
Action History
2026-04-01 H Favorable Adopted Second Reading Passed 2026-04-01 H Favorable Report by Health 2026-03-25 H Hearing 3/26 at 2:00 p.m. 2026-03-25 H Hearing canceled 2026-03-17 H Hearing 3/26 at 1:00 p.m. 2026-02-20 H Referred Health 2026-02-19 S Third Reading Passed (43-0) 2026-02-17 S Second Reading Passed with Amendments 2026-02-17 S Favorable with Amendments {803721/1 Adopted 2026-02-16 S Favorable with Amendments Report by Finance 2026-01-21 S Hearing 2/04 at 1:00 p.m. 2026-01-19 S First Reading Finance
Votes
2026-02-19 Third Reading Passed Yea: 43 Nay: 0
Committee Referrals
2026-01-19 S Finance 2026-02-20 H Health
Amendments
2026-02-17 Favorable with Amendments 803721/1 Adopted Adopted
Bill Text Versions
2026-01-20 Introduced 2026-02-17 Engrossed
Subjects
Health - Insurance Public Health Health Maintenance Organizations Health Health Insurance Medical Assistance Medical Equipment and Devices Nonprofit Organizations Forms Health, Department of Insurance Administration Managed Care Organizations Reports Legislative data powered by LegiScan (CC BY 4.0)
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