Maryland
December 14, 2025 By Sirein Awadalla of Progressive Maryland and OPS
State-based SP organizations
Progressive Maryland (https://www.progressivemaryland.org/) -not a single-issue organization, but strong advocates for (national) Single Payer bills.
Our Revolution, Maryland (http://ourrevolutionmd.com/)
Patient Worker Collaborative (https://www.safestaffingmd.org/) - for safe staffing campaign
National SP organizations
PNHP, People’s Action Network, Public Citizen, Our Revolution, Social Security Works (all allies, mostly working on national bills rather than the state-based single payer bills).
State-based SP bills
First filed in 2012, but none since 2020, Healthy Maryland Act (SB 871) last introduced by Senator Pinsky and 11 others 2/7/19 and HB 1087-Introduced by Delegates Barron, Acevero, Pena-Melnyk, and 29 others. 2/8/19. They were never brought to a vote.
Related Legislation
HB417 (2025) (was SB0228 in prior session). Bill to establish a Commission on Universal Health Care which would be required to develop a plan to establish UHC through Single Payer on or before Oct. 1, 2028 (interim report, June 1, 2027). Would stay in effect for 4 years. (Note: this is not a SP plan, but perhaps a precursor to one.) https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2025RS/bills/hb/hb0417f.pdf
Also, safe staffing bills submitted annually. None yet passed
Status:
Obstacles to state-based SP in the current context
Legislative effort at state based single payer in MD has not gone forward
Strong national groups in MD doing excellent work for national program but some actively discourage state-based initiative.
Maryland’s unique All-Payer Model for hospital payments, in use since the 1970s, requires all payers (private or public) to pay the same amount for a given service at a particular hospital. It is part of a cost-cutting initiative and has CMS waivers for it. It is a two-edged sword: Savings outcomes not clear, and there are built-in incentives that work against the safe staffing initiatives.
Advantages for SP in current context
Strong coalition Maryland Progressive Healthcare Coalition, working at both state and national levels.
Healthy Maryland bills in general assembly several times since 2012 Maryland Health Security Act. Several strong single-payer legislative allies, (now that Sen Pinsky has left the Senate, Delegates Acevero and Pena-Melnyk are taking lead), but there has been little effort for state-based Single Payer bills since 2020).
State-based efforts are currently focused on the study bill (eg. HB417) with Rep. Sheila Ruth leading 18 other state reps. Rep. Ruth is also a member of the state legislative caucus for state-based single payer legislation led by C. Rheingans (MI), and was present for the launch of the State-based Universal Health Care Acts (“SBUHCA”) S 2246 / H4406 in D.C. in July 2025.
Senator Chis Van Hollen signed on to Sanders’ bill this year; and April McClain Delaney joined Reps Glenn Ivey, Jamie Raskin, and K. Mfume in supporting Jayapal’s Single Payer bill.
Maryland’s unique All-Payer Model for hospital payments provides one of the few examples of relatively successful regulation of healthcare payments in the country. Public program rates are higher in MD than in other states, but private insurers get less than they can charge in other states. Knowing and understanding pricing policies is a necessary step for cost containment.
Goals for SP movement in MD 2025-26
Town Halls, educational events, public outreach, local resolutions: all specific to Congressional Districts of Congressmen who have not co-sponsored HR 3069 (e.g. Hoyer). Progressive MD is launching a campaign to “Reclaim” (or DE-privatize) Medicaid following the guidelines from the Sept 2025 PNHP report, “Removing the Middlemen from Medicaid.”
Where can people find news about Single Payer in your state and/or join a group?
Our Revolution, Maryland (http://ourrevolutionmd.com/) (Hal Ginsberg)
(and other groups listed above)
#MovingMarylandForward
Healthcare-Now of Maryland http://www.mdsinglepayer.org