PROVIDENCE – R.I. Senate leaders unveiled a legislative package focused on improving health care access and affordability on Tuesday.
The 25-bill package known as the Rhode Island HEALTH (Holistic Enhancement and Access Legislation for Total Health) Initiative is focused on addressing four areas of Rhode Island’s health care system: consumer protection, provider availability and care quality, cost containment, and health system financial stability.
"The challenges we face are numerous and complex. These bills move us in the right direction, and we need to continue to work together to address them," said
Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio, D-North Providence. "The measures we're introducing here today are far-reaching and they are the first step to help stabilize and strengthen health care across our state."
Senate Majority leader Ryan Pearson, D-Cumberland, said there is no silver bullet for addressing the wide range of health care issues Rhode Islanders are facing. And while the package may not address them all, Pearson is optimistic they will push Rhode Island in the right direction.
"This is all complicated and there's a lot of pieces to it," Pearson said. "So this begins the process for us and one where we are going to hear a lot more feedback."
Among the bills introduced are:
- S2716, sponsored by Sen. Pamela Lauria, D-Barrington, would provide $2.7 million to primary care practices to help serve as clinical training sites. It would recruit 30 advanced primary care training sites with one or more teachers, increasing training slots by 50% for nurse practitioners, physician assistant students and physician residents. The funds would go toward creating a curriculum, quarterly learning collaborative sessions, data collection and project management. Rep. Kathleen Fogarty, D-South Kingstown, introduced the House companion bill, H7902.
- S2719, sponsored by Alana DiMario, D-Narragansett, would create a drug affordability commission to receive and review submissions from manufacturers and determine whether the cost of a drug is affordable. If the commission finds that the cost is not affordable to state health care systems and residents, it can establish a cost or payment rate that must be abided by all state programs, licensed pharmacies, commercial health plans, wholesalers and distributors. With enforcement from R.I. Attorney General Peter F. Neronha, the “covered entities” would not be allowed to pay more for drugs than the rate established by the commission.
- S2712, sponsored by Sen. Mark McKenney, D-Warwick, would use funds from the federal American Rescue Plan Act to purchase medical debt for pennies on the dollar and then eliminate that debt for eligible Rhode Island citizens. Eligible residents would need to have outstanding medical debt that is at least 5% of their annual income and more than $600 of debt or have a household that is making no more than 400% of the federal poverty line.
- S2714, sponsored by Lauria, would require all hospitals to screen uninsured patients for Medicaid, Medicare and other financial assistance programs. Hospitals would also be required to hold invoices or claims until 30 days after a patient is discharged while an application is reviewed. Also, it creates a process for complaining to the R.I. Executive Office of Health and Human Services, and Neronha’s office is allowed to take legal action against a hospital or implement a corrective plan. The House companion bill, H7702, is sponsored by Rep. June Speakman, D-Bristol.
- S7274, introduced by Sen. Hanna Gallo, D-Cranston, which is also known as the the Rhode Island Fair Care for Dental Care Act, would require dental insurers to spend at least 85% of customers’ premiums on patient care, or refund the difference to them and is modeled after legislation recently passed in Massachusetts. The House companion bill, H7082, is sponsored by Rep. Joseph McNamara, D-Warwick.
- S722, sponsored by Sen. Susan Sosnowski, D-New Shoreham, would shift the health insurance commissioner’s mandate to be a dual mandate that is focused on both premiums and provider rates.
Katie Castellani is a PBN staff writer. You may contact her at Castellani@PBN.com.
