Maryland reinvented how it pays hospitals. Primary care was left underfunded

Maryland's global payment system for hospitals took the financial incentive out of filling beds, writes Alexander Kaysin, but the state neglected the other half of the equation -- it hasn't built the primary care infrastructure that payment reform aimed to make possible.

By: Alexander Kaysin

Outlets: Maryland Matters

Published: August 7, 2026

Words: 880

Last Updated: 1 week, 5 days ago

Body Text Preview

Ask almost anyone in Maryland how long it takes to get a new primary care appointment, and you’ll hear the same answer. Months, if you can find a doctor taking patients at all. That’s a strange thing to be true in a state the rest of the country studies as a model for controlling health care costs.

Maryland really is different. Since 2014, our hospitals have been paid under global budgets, a fixed amount of …

Create a free account to access this story and more

Join Plucky Wire to access full stories, collaborate with newsrooms, and discover content from networks around the world.

About

FAQ

Email Us