Employee Benefits and Relations Archives

2026 Issue Preview: Hospital Rate Setting and the AHEAD Model

With the 2026 Legislative Session approaching, MACo is profiling major issues, including hospital rate setting in Maryland, that are likely to receive significant attention. Maryland has long stood apart in how it pays for and provides health care. Its unique all-payer system for setting hospital rates, improved through the state’s Total Cost of Care model, has kept costs down, led to better results, and garnered national attention as a model to follow. As previously covered…

Comments Off

December 31, 2025

2026 MACo Issue Previews / Business Affairs / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Labor

2026 Issue Preview: Unemployment Insurance

With the 2026 Legislative Session approaching, MACo is profiling major issues, including unemployment insurance, that stand to garner significant attention. Maryland’s Unemployment Insurance system remains solvent for now, but projections show that stability may be short-lived. As previously covered in a MACo deep dive, the federal-state unemployment insurance (UI) system offers temporary financial support to individuals who have lost their jobs, helping to replace a portion of their income while they search for new employment.…

Comments Off

December 26, 2025

County Budgets / County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Human Resources / Winter Conference

#MACoCon Recap: Strategies for Prescription Drug Spending

Prescription drug costs are no longer a back-office benefits issue for counties; they’re a frontline challenge shaping budgets, workforce retention, and long-term sustainability. Counties across Maryland are facing a familiar but intensifying challenge: how to sustain high-quality employee health benefits as prescription drug costs continue to climb. At MACo’s Winter Conference, the panel “Rx for Retention: County Strategies for Prescription Drug Spending” brought together county leaders, policy experts, and benefit consultants to unpack what’s driving…

Comments Off

December 18, 2025

Business Affairs / County News / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues / State Budget and Fiscal Issues / Winter Conference

#MACoCon Recap: The State of Maryland’s Economy

Maryland’s economy is growing slightly, but mounting uncertainty around affordability, labor, and federal policy is reshaping what that growth really means for counties and communities. At MACo’s Winter Conference, economist Dr. Daraius Irani delivered a sobering but practical economic outlook during “Troubling Trends: The State of Maryland’s Economy,” offering county leaders a clear-eyed assessment of the forces shaping budgets and long-term planning decisions across the state. Amid growing uncertainty, Dr. Irani opened with a national…

Comments Off

December 17, 2025

Business Affairs / Labor / Winter Conference

Troubling Trends: The State of Maryland’s Economy at #MACoCon

Maryland’s economy is shifting in ways that are already reshaping local budgets, services, and long-range priorities. Across Maryland, state and county leaders are confronting an economic landscape defined by uneven growth, demographic transitions, and persistent workforce pressures. At the same time, national trends, like rising interest rates, a cooling labor market, and slowdowns in key industries, are filtering down to the local level, affecting everything from hiring and retention to revenue reliability. Maryland’s unique mix…

Comments Off

December 1, 2025

County News / Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services / Human Resources / Winter Conference

Maryland Among States Working to Curb Soaring Rx Drug Prices

As federal action on prescription drug costs remains limited, states across the country are stepping in with new laws to make medications more affordable for residents. According to an article from Stateline, in 2025 alone, at least 31 states have enacted nearly 70 laws targeting various parts of the complex drug pricing system, from Pharmacy Benefit Managers to drug manufacturers. Prescription drug prices continue to rise, and local governments are increasingly footing the bill. Counties…

Comments Off

November 10, 2025

Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor / NACo and Federal Issues

Governor Moore Expands State Support for Federal Workers

As the federal government shutdown continues, Maryland is taking steps to shield residents from its growing economic and household impacts. Governor Wes Moore has announced expanded state programs that provide relief and assistance to affected workers. Governor Wes Moore has announced new measures to assist Maryland federal workers affected by the ongoing federal government shutdown, which is now the longest in US history. The expanded support includes an additional round of no-interest loans for federal…

Comments Off

November 10, 2025

Business Affairs / Economic Development / Labor / Winter Conference

Report Shows Maryland Trailing Region in Economic Outlook

Maryland’s declining economic rankings indicate deeper challenges that could impact jobs, local revenues, and long-term growth throughout the state. According to the Maryland Chamber of Commerce, Maryland's latest national economic rankings indicate that the state is continuing to fall behind its neighbors, raising concerns about long-term growth and fiscal stability. These rankings, released by the American Legislative Exchange Council, highlight long-standing challenges tied to high business costs, regulatory hurdles, and a lack of pro-growth policies. From…

Comments Off

November 4, 2025

Employee Benefits and Relations / Labor / Winter Conference

Rx for Retention: County Strategies for Prescription Drug Spending

As prescription drug costs continue to climb, counties face a difficult balancing act between protecting employee health and keeping budgets in check. Prescription drug spending has become one of the fastest-growing pressures on county health plans, directly affecting both workforce retention and fiscal stability. Counties serve as major employers and rely on competitive health benefits to attract and retain qualified workers, particularly in essential roles like public safety. Yet escalating drug prices and opaque pricing…

Comments Off

November 3, 2025

Employee Benefits and Relations / Health and Human Services / Human Resources / Policy Deep Dive

Changes AHEAD in MD’s Health Care Model?

Maryland’s hospital payment system has long kept costs low, hospitals stable, and care accessible, but the model now faces a major turning point. As the state’s Total Cost of Care waiver nears expiration and Maryland prepares to transition to the federal AHEAD model, potential sweeping changes to hospital payments and healthcare costs could have significant effects on counties as employers and public sector health plan sponsors. Introduction For decades, Maryland has stood apart in how…

Comments Off

October 23, 2025