Maryland hospitals face deadline for picking new payment system

State hospitals will have two options for shifting to a new system for regulating pay, but regardless of which they pick, they'll need to make a decision fast. Maryland's Health Services Cost Review Commission isn't wasting time developing new policies to transition to the state's new hospital payment system, which received federal approval earlier this month. The commission is expected to review a staff recommendation for the transition — which begins immediately — at its Feb. 5 meeting. Maryland's new hospital payment system comes to the state by way of an updated Medicare waiver.