Senate approves bill requiring primary care

PROVIDENCE – The Senate this month approved legislation requiring that individuals identify a primary health care provider, as a condition to receiving health insurance.
Sponsored by Sen. Donna M. Nesselbush, D-Pawtucket, and proposed by Lt. Gov. Elizabeth H. Roberts, the bill was endorsed by the Special Senate Commission to Study Cost Containment, Efficiency and Transparency in the Delivery of Quality Patient Care and Access by Hospitals.
In a statement, Nesselbush said that designating a primary care provider has been shown to “greatly improve health outcomes by making providers the central figure in the delivery and coordination of patient care.”
In March, the R.I. Senate Hospital Commission issued its final report, which in part determined that requiring individuals to designate a primary health care provider would result in more efficient care that would reduce costs.
The bill has been referred to the House for consideration. &#8226