Maryland Offers Lessons on Building a Stronger Health System Post-COVID

Maryland is leading the way on building a statewide health system that promotes health and well-being.  A new package of Milbank Memorial Fund publications highlights Maryland’s health policy innovations, including its advanced primary care program and all-payer hospital model.

A Milbank Memorial Fund issue brief examines the Maryland Primary Care Program (MDPCP), which was launched last year by the state’s Department of Health in collaboration with the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Innovation. In the brief, the MDPCP’s Chad Perman, Robert Patterson, and Howard Haft describe the multipayer program’s evolution and core components, as well as its potential replicability in other states.

A companion article looks at how Maryland has leveraged the program’s infrastructure during the COVID-19 pandemic. State leaders have been able to effectively communicate with practices about the state’s response and offer clinicians tools to help patients most at risk for COVID-19.

Finally, an issue brief by Mark Japinga and Mark McClellan of the Duke-Margolis Center for Health Policy weigh in on the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ evaluation of Maryland’s All-Payer Model for hospitals.  They discuss the evaluation’s generally positive results and explore its implications for other states that want to accelerate the adoption of new payment models.