Donald B. Elliott is a retired pharmacist and American politician of the Republican Party in the State of Maryland, USA, who served from 1986 to 2015 as a member of the Maryland House of Delegates. He served as the representative of Maryland legislative district 4B, which encompasses Carroll and Frederick Counties in Western Maryland. Delegate Elliott was known for his dedication to health care issues, particularly the crisis in Maryland regarding uncompensated care, and worked in later years to address the issue of removing citizens from the uninsured rolls through various measures.
Background
Elliott was first elected to the Maryland House of Delegates in 1986 to represent District 4B, which covers Carroll and Frederick Counties. He originally defeated Republican incumbent Delegate Lanny V. Harchenhorn, and defeated Democrat Robert George Fehle Sr. in the general election. He sat on the House Health & Government Operations Committee as the ranking minority member, and also on two subcommittees; the House Insurance Subcommittee and the House Health Facilities & Occupations Subcommittee.
Elliott served in the United States Navy and remained in the Naval Reserve until 1971, retiring at the rank of Lt. Commander. Delegate Elliott has worked as a pharmacist in several capacities, including owning & operating two pharmacies in Carroll County, and remains a registered pharmacist. During his time in the legislature, Elliott had concentrated his efforts on the Health & Government Operations Committee towards reforming Maryland's health insurance market. Delegate Elliott introduced legislation in the 2008 session centering on personal responsibility with regards to health insurance.This legislation encompassed one piece of the noted Massachusetts health care reform. The personal responsibility concept has been endorsed by former MassachusettsGovernor Mitt Romney, and also former U.S. Speaker of the HouseNewt Gingrich. During the 2010 session of the Maryland General Assembly, he attempted to eliminate the requirement to have all vehicles in Maryland have front license plates. The Maryland Department of Legislative Services Estimated this would have saved the state over $500,000 the first year alone, with savings of over $750,000 in subsequent years.
