Panel recommends Office of Health Policy

PROVIDENCE – Gov. Gina M. Raimondo’s Working Group for Healthcare Innovation last week called for the creation of an Office of Health Policy, among several recommendations designed to boost services and lower costs.

The Office of Health Policy would “oversee the implementation of statewide health policy goals, work to better align health policies across state agencies, and create a comprehensive state health plan for Rhode Island,” according to a statement from Raimondo.

The group also provided a framework for Rhode Island to establish a health care spending target to keep pace with the growth of the state’s economy.

“It’s easier to make it in Rhode Island when everyone has access to high-quality, affordable health care,” said Raimondo. “And businesses are more likely to invest here if Rhode Island can offer predictable costs.”

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Between 2003 and 2013, the average yearly commercial insurance premium for a family in Rhode Island jumped from $9,500 to over $16,000, more than one-quarter of the median household income in the state, according to the governor’s office. •

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