Secretaries from the Maryland Department of Health, Department of Human Services, Maryland Insurance Commission and Maryland Health Exchange met with local healthcare and human service providers and community organizations at a roundtable event last Friday.

Here are some quotes from the roundtable discussion:

“As I look around this room at those in attendance today, the diversity of the people served and the type of service that you do shows the tremendous impact the legislation being considered could have on our communities,” said Dr. Meena Seshamani, Maryland Secretary of Health. “I think that speaks for the reason that we are all here today, because we serve Marylanders and want to make sure that we are hearing from all of you the stories of what these policy decisions could mean for a family that is trying to make ends meet and how they can manage, not only to survive, but to thrive.”

“Any cuts to SNAP are going to impact every single county in the state; that’s over 684,000 Marylanders,” said Rafael López, Maryland Secretary of Human Services. “The fact is that more than 59% of Maryland SNAP customers are families with children. More than 32% of SNAP households are families with older adults and or disabilities. 39% are working families–many of them are working one or two jobs.” 

“I am so incredibly proud to be a Marylander, especially on a day like this,” said Michele Eberle, Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Executive Director. “What you see here is unique. The fact that we are all here at the table together. The fact that we have integrated systems. Your voice here at the table is critical as we work collectively together to serve Marylanders.”

“We are really concerned about the anticipated loss of federal premium tax credits for Maryland consumers,” said Marie Grant, Maryland Insurance Commissioner. “If they are not extended, we did work with the legislature and will be working with the Maryland Health Exchange to design a state effort to help mitigate the impact of these cuts on Marylanders.” 

“All of us coming together and figuring out how to help our communities to navigate this is so important,” said Dr. Meena Seshamani, Maryland Secretary of Health. “As we work together, we  appreciate all of you saying that you are here to provide information, especially as people deal with the ‘shock exhaustion’ of everything that is happening.”

“The voices that you all have here at this event, that the people that you serve have, is so vital. I think about the kids,” said Dr. Meena Seshamani, Maryland Secretary of Health. “How are they going to learn if they are hungry, and the impact of that over the course of their lifetime.”

Participating agencies released fact sheets detailing the impact of federal cuts:

• Maryland Medicaid Fact Sheet - May 13, 2025
• Maryland Insurance Administration Affordable Care Act Premium Rates Increases for 2026 News Release - June 3, 2025
• Maryland SNAP Fact Sheet - June 6, 2025 
• Maryland Health Benefit Exchange Fact Sheet - June 3, 2025
  

Maryland's commitment to preserving access to healthcare coverage and nutrition assistance remains steadfast. State leaders will continue to collaborate with federal partners and advocate for policies that safeguard the health and well-being of all Maryland residents. The state will continue to work with community stakeholders to ensure people can access the services they need. 


The Maryland Department of Health is dedicated to protecting and improving the health and safety of all Marylanders through disease prevention, access to care, quality management and community engagement. 


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