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SB 340

Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman - Mandatory Appropriation

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Shelly Hettleman

SB 340 funds Maryland's Long-Term Care Ombudsman through Medicaid and requires nursing facility quality assessments to strengthen resident advocacy and oversight.

Approved by the Governor - Chapter 761
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Bill Summary · SB 340

Legislative bill overview

SB 340 establishes dedicated Medicaid funding for Maryland's Office of the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and implements quality assessment requirements for nursing facilities receiving Medicaid reimbursement. The bill ties ombudsman office operations directly to Medicaid payments, creating a sustainable funding mechanism for resident advocacy services.

Why is this important

Nursing home residents—often elderly, vulnerable, and dependent on Medicaid—need independent advocates to address complaints about care quality, safety, and rights violations. Dedicated funding removes the ombudsman office from competing budget priorities and ensures consistent resources to investigate complaints and protect residents. This directly affects care quality oversight for thousands of Maryland residents in long-term care facilities.

Potential points of contention

  • Nursing facility cost concerns: Facilities may argue that quality assessment requirements increase operational costs, potentially leading to service reductions or higher resident fees
  • Medicaid budget impact: Dedicating Medicaid funds to ombudsman operations reduces resources available for direct resident care or provider reimbursement rates
  • Enforcement mechanisms unclear: The bill's specific quality standards and consequences for non-compliance are not detailed in available information, raising questions about real-world enforcement capacity

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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