The Key Features of the Law section contains information about your rights and protections as a consumer, insurance choices, insurance costs, new policies for citizens 65 or older, and employer programs and tax credits.
The What’s Changing and When section provides a timeline for healthcare reform, when the policies will take effect and how they should improve the overall quality and effectiveness of health care.
The Information for You section provides healthcare assistance for families with children, individuals, people with disabilities, pregnant women, seniors, small businesses, women, and young adults.
To stay up to date about healthcare reform in Maryland, visit this Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene website, and sign up to receive notifications of changes in health care policies.
Coalition for Whole Health
In June 2010, the Coalition for Whole Health and the Whole Health Campaign — two groups originally formed to advocate for strong addiction coverage in the healthcare reform legislation — unanimously agreed to merge under the Coalition for Whole Health name.
This new group gives the mental health and addiction fields the strongest possible advocacy to maximize inclusion and coverage of mental health and substance use disorder prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and recovery in the implementation of health care reform.
National Advocacy Campaign
The National Advocacy Campaign, The Legal Action Center’s (LAC) joint initiative with the State Associations of Addiction Services (SAAS), works toward policies that will dramatically alter the national landscape so that fewer people suffer from alcohol and drug problems, the addicted receive the care they need, and people in recovery can live healthy and productive lives.
Visit the Legal Action Center’s webpage for extensive information on how to get legal help, how to contribute to advocacy programs or to learn more about the legislative issues affecting Maryland’s substance abuse programs. The Maryland Addictions Directors Council advocates for quality addictions services that promote healthy individuals, strong families and thriving communities. It is the organization’s vision that people in need of services will have timely and easy access to high-quality services at the appropriate level of care to meet their needs. The Advocacy arm of The Maryland Addictions Directors Council encourages the respect and support for professionals who provide prevention, intervention, treatment and recovery services to those with substance use, mental health and process disorders. Visit the National Council on Alcoholism and Drug Dependence of Maryland (NCADD-Maryland). Its mission is to raise public awareness of alcoholism and drug dependence issues across the state, while working to ensure those affected by the disease of addiction have the resources necessary when accessing treatment and sustaining recovery.