Overview
- The Health Services Cost Review Commission will administer the funding for 25 hospitals to cover operational pressures, including staffing needs.
- Grant amounts range from $49,000 to $32.8 million for fiscal year 2026 to help manage high volumes of flu, RSV and COVID-19 cases.
- State data show high respiratory activity with nearly 20% flu test positivity and, as of Jan. 14, 4,087 flu, 976 RSV and 569 COVID-19 hospitalizations this season.
- Gov. Wes Moore stressed evidence-based public health decisions and ongoing access to vaccines, including free shots for uninsured and underinsured adults through the Maryland Vaccine Program.
- Hospital leaders say this season arrived earlier and hit harder than expected, and regulators approved the infusion through hospital rate increases rather than the state’s general fund.