Gov. Wes Moore announced Tuesday that the Maryland Department of Health and the Health Services Cost Review Commission received grant funding from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to support Maryland’s implementation of the federal States Advancing All-Payer Equity Approaches and Development (AHEAD) model.

The funding and new model will enable Maryland to build on its all-payer hospital rate setting system, with a focus on support for primary care, population health and health equity.

“Maryland is ready to lead on health care. Today, we deepen our commitment to affordability and accessibility — and we hope other states will follow our example,” Moore said. “Our state is deeply grateful for the extraordinary collaboration of both our congressional delegation and our community champions, who have rallied the cause for decades. In partnership, we will continue to make Maryland more affordable for all.”

Maryland’s request for AHEAD Model Cooperative Agreement funding focused on health equity and social needs. The grant includes funding for:

Regional, community-based population health hubs to support community-level population health investment and efforts to address health-related social needs.

Community grants to address population health and health-related social needs.

Technology for statewide coordinated health-related social needs screening and referral.

Maryland will begin implementing the AHEAD model Jan. 1, 2026.