Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island House Bill H5975 Compare Versions

Only one version of the bill is available at this time.

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5	5	2025 -- H 5975
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7	7	LC001709
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9	9	S T A T E O F R H O D E I S L A N D
10	10	IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
11	11	JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025
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14	14	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
15	15	MAKING AN APPROPRIATION OF $1,000,000 FOR THE PURCHASE, CANCELLATION
16	16	AND FORGIVENESS OF MEDICAL DEBT
17	17	Introduced By: Representatives Shallcross Smith, Boylan, Read, Kislak, Tanzi, Alzate,
18	18	Slater, Ajello, Stewart, and Fogarty
19	19	Date Introduced: February 28, 2025
20	20	Referred To: House Finance
21	21	(General Treasurer)
22	22
23	23	WHEREAS, Today, far too many Rhode Islanders remain saddled with medical debt; and 1
24	24	WHEREAS, Unpaid medical bills pose a major impediment to financial security, and can 2
25	25	carry significant legal and psychological burdens that can follow our friends, our families, and 3
26	26	our neighbors for years; and 4
27	27	WHEREAS, Through no fault of their own, an estimated five and two-tenths percent 5
28	28	(5.2%) of Rhode Islanders struggle under the weight of medical debt; and 6
29	29	WHEREAS, Unlike most other types of debt, medical debt is usually unexpected and can 7
30	30	catch people without a financial plan; and 8
31	31	WHEREAS, According to a report published by the Consumer Finance Protection 9
32	32	Bureau, “[t]wo-thirds of medical debts are the result of a one-time or short-term medical expense 10
33	33	arising from an acute medical need”; and 11
34	34	WHEREAS, The same report found veterans, older adults, those with disabilities, and 12
35	35	minority populations are disproportionately impacted by medical debt relative to national 13
36	36	averages; and 14
37	37	WHEREAS, Due to increasing patient cost-sharing, medical debt is common even among 15
38	38	households with health insurance; and 16
39	39	WHEREAS, A report published by the Kaiser Family Foundation found that sixty-three 17
40	40	percent (63%) of households with medical debt report reducing expenses on food and clothing, 18
41	41	and forty-eight percent (48%) report using up all or most of their savings because of medical 19
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45	45	debt; and 1
46	46	WHEREAS, The same holds true in Rhode Island; and 2
47	47	WHEREAS, The General Assembly created the Rhode Island Medical Relief Program 3
48	48	under § 35-4-21.1 for the purchase, cancellation and forgiveness of medical debt; and 4
49	49	WHEREAS, Medical debt can be purchased for pennies on the dollar; and 5
50	50	WHEREAS, Continued funding of the Medical Debt Relief Program will help end 6
51	51	medical debt in Rhode Island; now, therefore be it 7
52	52	RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not 8
53	53	otherwise appropriated for the fiscal year 2025-2026, the sum of one million dollars ($1,000,000) 9
54	54	for the continued purchase, cancellation and forgiveness of medical debt consistent with § 35-4-10
55	55	21.1 and the state controller is hereby authorized and directed to draw their orders upon the 11
56	56	general treasurer for the payment of said sum, or so much thereof as may be from time to time 12
57	57	required, upon receipt of properly authenticated vouchers. 13
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64	64	EXPLANATION
65	65	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
66	66	OF
67	67	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
68	68	MAKING AN APPROPRIAT ION OF $1,000,000 FOR THE PURCHASE, CANCELLATION
69	69	AND FORGIVENESS OF MEDICAL DEBT
70	70	***
71	71	This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $1,000,000 for the 1
72	72	continued purchase, cancellation and forgiveness of medical debt consistent with § 35-4-21.1. 2
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