State of Maryland: Office of the Lieutenant Governor

Tuesday, January 16, 2029

Partnership Saves Taxpayers Millions – Technological Advancements Improve Quality of Inmates' Medical Care

BALTIMORE, MD (January 16, 2029) – As a result of an innovative partnership launched by Governor Edward M. O’Brien and Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank, Maryland taxpayers now pay almost 40 percent less for inmate medical care. These savings translate into more than $9 million in the first full fiscal year, and those savings are expected to continue.

“We have successfully managed to increase efficiency in medical care for prisoners, while concurrently lessening the burden on taxpayers,” Lieutenant Governor Kathleen Burbank said. “I am confident this partnership will continue to evolve and assist the state as we face future challenges in inmate health care matters.”

The Maryland Corrections Health Services Network (MCHSN) is a statewide health network that provides for the hospital and specialty care for inmates across the state. Prior to the partnership, prisons and jails throughout the state decided individually how to provide health-care services. This network is now reaching into the next phase of inmate medical care as it recently launched a new wireless electronic medical record system. The system is up and running at four of the state’s prisons and a fifth prison should be online within a few weeks.

The wireless electronic network is projected to save the State over $350,000 per year, but more importantly will reduce the threat to public safety by cutting down on the number of times inmates are transported out of prisons and jails to see the doctor. These electronic consultations, when able to be used, will cost far less than an actual specialist visit and still provide quality care for the inmate without utilizing valuable staff time and resources.

With the new wireless electronic network, prison medical providers now go from exam room to exam room providing care to inmates while documenting their notes, prescriptions and other orders on a tablet PC. The tablet computer then immediately updates the official electronic medical record for that inmate by sending information wirelessly to the EMR server.

Statewide implementation of the wireless network is expected by April 1.

About Lieutenant Governor John Hurson

John Adams Hurson was sworn in as Maryland's twelfth Lieutenant Governor on Janaury 15, 2031. Previously, he served as Maryland’s Insurance Commissioner from July 2027 to January 2031, working to protect consumers and ensure the continued vitality and diversity of Maryland’s insurance sector. Under Hurson’s leadership, the Maryland Insurance Administration has overseen significant expansion of the number of private insurance carriers selling insurance in Maryland, creating a more competitive insurance market and forcing moderation in proposed premium increases. Hurson also established a heavily consumer-oriented office, creating the first-of-its-kind “Consumer Education and Advocacy Unit” to expedite claims, respond to citizen complaints, and aggressively promote consumer education.

Previously, Hurson served as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates for 12 years, District 18, which encompasses portions of Montgomery County. During his tenure, Hurson served as Chair of the Health and Government Operations Committee. Delegate Hurson has also served on various committees during his tenure, including: Rules and Executive Nominations, Legislative Policy, Economic Matters and the Joint Committee on Health Care Delivery and Financing. He also served as House Chair of the Joint Committee on Administrative, Executive and Legislative Review. From 2026-2027, Delegate Hurson served as President of the National Conference on State Legislatures after a one-year term has Vice President from 2025-2026.

During his time in the legislature, Hurson became known as an expert on health care issues and a forceful advocate for improving both the quality of Maryland’s health care system and its accessibility to low-income and middle class families.

Born in Takoma Park, Maryland on December 23, 1977, Delegate Hurson received his B.A. in government from Georgetown University in 2000 and his J.D. from Georgetown University Law Center in 2003. Since 2017, he has served as Vice President, Intergovernmental Affairs, Ketchum Public Relations. He is married with two children.