O'Malley proposes increase in Maryland health care spending: A breakdown

Health care will be getting a big bump in spending next fiscal year in Maryland if Gov. Martin O’Malley has his way. The governor’s proposed budget for fiscal 2014, which begins July 1, includes $10.4 billion for the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. That’s an increase of 4 percent, or $397.6 million, from fiscal 2013.

Here are some highlights of where that new spending would go:

$54 million to fund rate increases for providers. Some $42 million would go toward a 2.5 percent rate increase…