Maryland Attorney General Anthony Brown is advocating for more patients’ rights as lawmakers start the 2024 legislative session in Annapolis.

Brown released his legislative priorities this week, highlighting a need for an expanded enforcement of the patient’s bill of rights.

“Our legislative agenda is focused on protecting the health, safety, and well-being of Marylanders,” Brown said. “Our proposals hold wrongdoers who create statewide damage to public health, safety, the environment, and Marylanders accountable according to their level of responsibility, and enhance the enforcement authority of the Office of the Attorney General.”

Maryland’s patients’ bill of rights went into effect in 2019 after unanimously passing the General Assembly.

The bill of rights protects patients from abuse, physical constraints or from having someone at a facility run their finances.

However, the bill of rights does not extend to all facilities.

Assisted living institutions do not fall under the purview of the document, but Brown wants to change that.

“The attorney general supports extending the same rights and enforcement powers under the patients’ bill of rights that are available in nursing homes to assisted living facilities, where residents must also be protected from abuse. Therefore, he is proposing to expand the Office’s ability to seek relief and penalties when certain rights and guarantees enshrined in the bill of rights are violated,” Brown’s office stated in a release.

The attorney general is also advocating for legislation that would protect Marylanders from unexpected medical bills.

Brown is pushing for a bill that would require medical facilities to inform patients if a procedure is out-of-network and get written consent to proceed.

The legislation would also commission a study on the long-term impacts of facility fees on the Maryland healthcare system.

The goal is to reduce the healthcare costs of Marylanders.