ANNAPOLIS, Md. (October 2, 2026) — Comptroller Brooke E. Lierman today issued the following statement on the recently enacted changes to Medicaid coverage.

“On October 1, thousands of Maryland families lost their Medicaid coverage because of a provision in President Trump’s H.R. 1. The people losing care are lawfully-present immigrants: our neighbors, our coworkers, and our community leaders. They saved lives through translating for American troops in Afghanistan, fled war-torn Ukraine, and are seeking refuge from religious persecution in their own countries.

“Immigrants make up more than one-fifth of Maryland’s labor force. They are 23 percent of our registered nurses and the majority of our home health aides. They start businesses, pay taxes, and help keep our economy growing when our population is not. My office's research is clear that Maryland's economy is stronger because of them.

“Taking away their health care does not save money. It shifts the cost. When people lose access to preventive and routine care, they get sicker, and they end up in emergency rooms, where care is most expensive. Hospitals, employers, and taxpayers absorb those costs. Workers miss shifts, businesses struggle to fill jobs, and the pressure on our state economy grows.

“Government should be expanding access to affordable care, not stripping it from people who work hard and contribute to their communities. This policy will make Maryland less healthy, our workforce smaller, and our economy less resilient. I will keep working to protect the health and economic well-being of every Maryland family.”