# Maryland HB 1091: Health Insurance and Dental Plan Organizations - Dentists - Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers

Maryland HB 1091, Health Insurance and Dental Plan Organizations - Dentists - Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers, is a 2026 Regular Session House bill sponsored by Kenneth Kerr (Democratic); status signed, last action 2026-05-26 (Approved by the Governor - Chapter 736) (as of 2026-10-19).

- Canonical: https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1091-2026RS
- As of: 2026-10-19
- Plain-text twin of the page above; the HTML and this file carry the same facts.

## Facts
- Bill: Maryland HB 1091
- State: Maryland
- Session: 2026 Regular Session
- Title: Health Insurance and Dental Plan Organizations - Dentists - Assignment of Benefits and Reimbursement of Nonpreferred Providers
- Status: signed
- Chamber: House
- Introduced: 2026-02-11
- Last action: 2026-05-26, Approved by the Governor - Chapter 736
- Sponsor: Kenneth Kerr (Democratic)
- Cosponsors: 19
- Subjects: Health - Insurance, Consumer Protection, Dental Health, Dentists, Disclosure, Forms, Health Insurance -see also- ACA; HMOs; MCOs, Health Occupations -see also- (specific health occupations), Insurance Administration, Interest, Licenses -see also- AB Lic; Certifications; DrLic; Permits, Prices -see also- Consumer Price Index, Reimbursements
- Touches household money: no
- Roll calls: 2 (176 yes, 0 no in all)
- Economic provisions PRIA read: 4

## Summary

No summary available.

## Bill overview: provisions PRIA read

- Clear notices with dental plan payments: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, if you do not assign benefits and your insurer or dental plan pays you for care from a nonpreferred dentist, they must include a clear notice. It must list the claim, what they paid, what you still owe, and tell you to use the money to pay the dentist if you have not alre…
- Dentists treated as providers for payments: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, the law counts dentists as health care providers for assignment and payment rules. It also defines which dentists are “similarly licensed,” including group dental practices. This makes payment and assignment rules clearer for dental claims.
- Upfront cost disclosure from out-of-network dentists: benefit, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, a nonpreferred dentist who wants direct payment must tell you key facts before care. The dentist must say they are nonpreferred, warn about possible charges for noncovered services and balance billing, and give a cost estimate and payment terms. They must also say if inte…
- Direct payment to out-of-network dentists: mixed, low. Beginning January 1, 2027, you can assign dental benefits so insurers and dental plans pay a nonpreferred dentist directly. Insurers and dental plans cannot block a valid assignment to a dentist. There are narrow exceptions. An insurer can refuse direct pay if it already paid you (including by admi…

## Sponsors and cosponsors

- Sponsor: Kenneth Kerr (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Tiffany T. Alston (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Heather Bagnall (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Bonnie Cullison (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Pam Lanman Guzzone (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Terri L. Hill (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Thomas S. Hutchinson (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Aaron M. Kaufman (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Nicholaus R. Kipke (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Lesley J. Lopez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Matthew Morgan (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Ashanti Martinez (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa E. Reilly (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Samuel I. Rosenberg (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kim Ross (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Steve Johnson (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Kathy Szeliga (Republican), House
- Cosponsor: Deni Taveras (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Jennifer White Holland (Democratic), House
- Cosponsor: Teresa Woorman (Democratic), House

## Roll call votes

| Date | Chamber | Motion | Result | Yes | No | Other |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| 2026-04-13 | Senate | Third Reading Passed | pass | 46 | 0 | 1 |
| 2026-03-18 | House | Third Reading Passed | pass | 130 | 0 | 6 |

## Actions (13)

- 2026-05-26: Approved by the Governor - Chapter 736
- 2026-04-13: Returned Passed (House)
- 2026-04-13: Third Reading Passed (46-0) (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Second Reading Passed (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable Adopted (Senate)
- 2026-04-10: Favorable Report by Finance (Senate)
- 2026-03-19: Referred Finance (Senate)
- 2026-03-18: Third Reading Passed (130-0) (House)
- 2026-03-17: Second Reading Passed with Amendments (House)
- 2026-03-17: Favorable with Amendments {583426/1 Adopted (House)
- 2026-03-16: Favorable with Amendments Report by Health (House)
- 2026-02-13: Hearing 3/05 at 1:00 p.m. (House)
- 2026-02-11: First Reading Health (House)

## Bill text

- Enacted, 2026-05-26: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_736_hb1091t.pdf)
- Third Reading, 2026-03-17: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1091t.pdf)
- First Reading, 2026-02-11: [PDF](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1091f.pdf)

## Related bills

- SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - Authorization (became law)
- SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishment (became law)
- SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)
- SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-1 Specialists Act) (became law)
- SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits (became law)
- HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program (became law)

## Sources
- [Enacted (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/Chapters_noln/CH_736_hb1091t.pdf)
- [Third Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1091t.pdf)
- [First Reading (PDF)](https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/2026RS/bills/hb/hb1091f.pdf)

## Related
- [SB 0496: Maryland Medical Assistance Program - Coverage for the Treatment of Obesity - A…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0496-2026RS)
- [SB 0366: Motor Vehicles - Intelligent Speed Assistance System Pilot Program - Establishm…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0366-2026RS)
- [SB 0244: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0244-2026RS)
- [SB 0148: Income Tax - Credit for 9-1-1 Specialist Retirement Income (Supporting Our 9-1-…](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0148-2026RS)
- [SB 0016: Child Support - Earnings Withholdings Limits](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-SB0016-2026RS)
- [HB 0529: Code Revision - Health - Maryland Medical Assistance Program](https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB0529-2026RS)
- [Maryland bills](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland/bills)
- [Maryland state hub](https://policyrisk.com/states/maryland)
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Source: PRIA, https://policyrisk.com/state-bill/MD-HB1091-2026RS (as of 2026-10-19).