State health care regulators have reversed a decision to keep Baltimore Washington Medical Center out of a national study of elective angioplasty surgery at community hospitals.

The June 18 decision by the state Health Care Commission settles a lawsuit by the hospital, which claimed the state didn't have the authority in 2007 to block its participation in the Cardiovascular Patient Outcomes Research Team study.

A spokesman for the commission said the decision was reached after discussions with BWMC and two other hospitals originally refused a research waiver of state rules on the surgery.

"One of the important...