WASHINGTON, D.C. — The National Health Law Program (NHeLP) celebrates the signing of Maryland’s HB 930 into law, a landmark step in advancing reproductive health in Maryland. This first-of-its-kind legislation establishes the Public Health Abortion Grant Program and Fund, which will direct unused, separately accounted insurance premiums toward funding abortion care for those who face the most significant barriers to access.
Under Section 1303 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), insurers offering abortion coverage through the health insurance Marketplace must collect and separately account for at least $1 per enrollee per month to cover abortion services that are not eligible for federal funding. While these funds have accumulated for over a decade, they have largely gone unused—until now.
With the signing of HB 930, Maryland becomes the first state to operationalize this provision of the ACA, fulfilling a long-overdue promise of the law: that people should have meaningful access to comprehensive reproductive health care, including abortion.
“This is a significant moment for abortion access, not only in Maryland, but nationally,” said Cat Duffy, Senior Policy Analyst at the National Health Law Program. “For years, insurers have quietly complied with the ACA’s special rules, collecting millions of dollars intended for abortions but unable to use them. HB 930 finally unleashes that potential, directing those dollars to the people who need them most, uninsured, underinsured, and low-income people who are often pushed to the margins of our health care system.”
The Public Health Abortion Grant Fund will support providers and abortion funds in delivering care to those who cannot use their insurance for abortion or face other coverage gaps, such as undocumented people and those enrolled in plans with abortion restrictions. By making use of resources already set aside for abortion care, the Fund represents a fiscally responsible and legally sound approach to expanding access.
NHeLP is proud to have spearheaded the legal research and strategy that laid the groundwork for HB 930, including analysis of Section 1303 and its implications for abortion funding under state law. The law offers a bold blueprint for other states looking to maximize existing ACA tools to support reproductive health access.
As Maryland continues to lead in protecting and expanding access to abortion care, NHeLP will remain committed to ensuring that all people, regardless of income, insurance status, or immigration status, can get the care they need when they need it.
To speak with an expert, please contact:
Andy DiAntonio | Director of Communication [email protected]
