The Maryland General Assemby had a busy session, passing a collection of health-related bills.

Top of the list was establishing the framework for the health care exchanges that will go into effect in 2014 under federal health care reform. The state set up the basics of a market where the uninsured will go to buy coverage. The state has been moving aggressively to get all the pieces in place – and to get all the federal grant money it can.

Another bill pushed by the O'Malley administration was a prescription drug monitoring program that would require doctors to check a database before writing new scripts for pain medications. The state has seen a huge jump in the number of opiate addicts – particularly young people who abuse oxycodone. The bill, which passed, aims is to cut down on “doctor shopping” among those addicts. Here's a Sun story on the subject.

Also passed were bills that aim to track and curtain the use of unnecessary medical procedures including heart stents. This comes after an investigation into stent use at St. Joseph Hospital. And the state will now study how it could distribute medical marijuana and allow sick people to use medical necessity as a defense. The legislature also raised the alcohol tax to 9 percent from 6 percent though most of the money won’t go to health causes.

They miss anything this year?