ANNAPOLIS, MD – June 8, 2025 — Open My Heart Foundation Founder and CEO, Dr. Florence Champagne, proudly announces the passage of House Bill 666 (HB666), groundbreaking Maryland legislation requiring insurance coverage for Coronary Calcium Score Tests—an early detection tool for heart disease, the nation’s leading cause of death.

Spearheaded by Delegate Jamila Woods and Senator Malcolm Augustine, the bill was signed into law by Governor Wes Moore on May 20, 2025, following two years of tireless advocacy, testimony, and stakeholder support. With this legislation now enacted, more than six million Maryland residents will have greater access to this life-saving screening.

Dr. Champagne, a heart disease survivor herself, credits her near-death experience and lack of access to early care as the catalyst behind the movement. “If heart disease is the leading cause of death in the U.S., why aren’t we screened for it as routinely as we are for breast cancer? No one should have to suffer a heart attack just to learn they’re at risk.”

Leading a Movement in Preventive Care

The Open My Heart Foundation—one of the only patient-led, patient-centered organizations focused on eliminating heart health disparities among African American women and women of color—is launching a statewide Calcium Score Testing Education & Awareness Program. The program is slated to start in September 2025. The initiative will engage hospitals, medical professionals, radiologists, administrators, and the public in increasing awareness, access, and utilization of this preventive screening.

This program is poised to serve as a national model, with stakeholders across healthcare and policy ready to amplify the campaign.

Learn More:

• HB666 Bill Text: Maryland General Assembly Bill HB0666
• Coronary Calcium Scoring Info: CardioSmart – ACC
• NIH Study: PMC Article
• Letters of Support: Maryland Senate Finance Testimony
• Foundation Website: www.openmyheartfoundation.org

About Open My Heart Foundation
Open My Heart Foundation is committed to advancing heart health equity by empowering women of color through advocacy, education, and early detection. With a community of survivors, medical allies, and public leaders, the Foundation continues to push for systemic change in preventive care access.