On April 14, 2026, Gov. Moore signed HB637/SB385, dubbed the “Vax Act,” which requires insurers to cover preventive care items and services recommended by the Maryland Secretary of Health without imposing cost-sharing requirements. The law requires the health secretary to obtain an analysis from the Maryland Health Care Commission and provide a public notice-and-comment period before any recommendation becomes effective. Once the secretary issues a recommendation, insurers must provide coverage without cost-sharing for plan years that begin on or after the date that is one year after the issuance of the recommendation.
Federal law requires all group health plans, whether fully insured or self-insured, to provide coverage without cost-sharing for preventive care items and services recommended by certain federal agencies under the purview of HHS. Maryland’s Vax Act, enacted in response to federal efforts to roll back vaccine recommendations, would require fully insured group health plans to provide such coverage for items and services that are not recommended by federal agencies but are recommended by state authorities.
Employers that sponsor fully insured group health plans in Maryland should consult with their carriers and amend their plans as necessary to conform to the new legislation. ERISA self-insured group health plans are generally exempt from state insurance laws.
For the full text of the legislation, please see the Vax Act text.