Expert panel at #MACoCon confirms Medicaid has a number of changes coming that will effect thousands of Maryland residents and forecasts what counties can expect.
The 2025 MACo Summer Conference panel, “Medicaid at a Crossroads: Preparing for Shifts in Federal and State Policy,” brought together federal, state, and local experts to help prepare for what is to come from the most recent round of Medicaid changes. Blair Bryant from the National Association of Counties (NAC0) kicked off the conversation by grounding the audience in how Medicaid has historically worked as well as what recent changes at the federal level were made by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA) of 2025. She specifically highlighted that the rollbacks and re-determination requirements of the OBBBA would increase the demand for staffing in local health departments and service connection agencies, necessitate IT systems upgrades, and potentially shift some of the burden of uncompensated care that is likely to result from the loss of coverage by many residents.
The second presenter, Chief of Staff Perrie Briskin from Maryland Health Care Financing and Medicaid added on to the discussion about coming impacts. Her presentation estimated that nearly 200,000 adults in Maryland could see coverage loss and that thousands more will be subject to new reporting requirements. In speaking specifically about older populations, Leslie Barnes-Keating, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer in Frederick County gave an even more localized perspective on the impact by highlighting the compounding obstacles that exacerbate some of the challenges that will be coming. She highlighted that housing, economy, transportation, and food security are already complicating health outcomes for vulnerable populations.
Ending on a more positive note, the final speaker, Deputy Director Stephanie Klapper from Maryland Health Care for All, highlighted the work her agency is able to do to help fill gaps for support, particularly in the process of trying to help residents connect to care and services. She said they are actively updating their processes to make it easier and faster to guide individuals through the process of signing up for health care via alternative options when they transition from Medicaid coverage.
Speakers:
- Blaire Bryant, Legislative Director, Health, National Association of Counties
- Perrie Briskin, Chief of Staff, Maryland Health Care Financing and Medicaid
- Leslie Barnes-Keating, Deputy Chief Administrative Officer, Frederick County
- Stephanie Klapper, Deputy Director, Maryland Health Care for All
Moderator: The Honorable Ben Kramer, MD State Senate
More About MACo’s Summer Conference:
