Rhode Island 2025 Regular Session

Rhode Island Senate Bill S0873 Compare Versions

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

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5	5	2025 -- S 0873
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7	7	LC002565
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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 $90,000,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND EXECUTIVE
16	16	OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO SUPPORT PHYSICIAN
17	17	REIMBURSEMENT RATE INCREASES IN THE RHODE ISLAND MEDICAID PROGRAM
18	18	Introduced By: Senators Bissaillon, DiPalma, Tikoian, Lawson, Sosnowski, Murray,
19	19	Urso, Britto, DiMario, and Burke
20	20	Date Introduced: March 21, 2025
21	21	Referred To: Senate Finance
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24	24	WHEREAS, Adequate reimbursement for physicians and advanced practice providers is 1
25	25	critical to ensuring access to high-quality healthcare services for all Rhode Islanders; and 2
26	26	WHEREAS, More than half of Rhode Island voters report facing at least one healthcare 3
27	27	access challenge in the past year; and 4
28	28	WHEREAS, More than one third of Rhode Island voters had difficulty scheduling an 5
29	29	appointment with a specialist in the past year; and 6
30	30	WHEREAS, Rhode Island faces significant challenges in recruiting and retaining 7
31	31	physicians and advanced practice providers including, but not limited to, primary care providers, 8
32	32	pediatricians, and nurse practitioners, due to uncompetitive reimbursement rates; and 9
33	33	WHEREAS, Investment in increased physician reimbursement rates will enhance access 10
34	34	to healthcare services, improve health outcomes, and reduce long-term healthcare costs by 11
35	35	preventing avoidable hospitalizations and emergency room visits; and 12
36	36	WHEREAS, A targeted appropriation of the State’s general revenue funds will support 13
37	37	Rhode Island’s healthcare infrastructure and workforce sustainability; now, therefore be it 14
38	38	RESOLVED, That there is hereby appropriated, from the general revenue of the State of 15
39	39	Rhode Island for fiscal year 2025-2026, the sum of ninety million dollars ($90,000,000) to be 16
40	40	invested in increasing reimbursement rates for all physicians and advanced practice providers 17
41	41	including, but not limited to, primary care providers, pediatricians, nurse practitioners, and other 18
42	42	advanced practice providers; and the Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human 19
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45	45	LC002565 - Page 2 of 3
46	46	Services shall administer the appropriation and oversee the disbursement of funds to ensure that 1
47	47	reimbursement rate adjustments are effectively implemented across Medicaid and other 2
48	48	applicable State-funded healthcare programs. 3
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54	54	LC002565 - Page 3 of 3
55	55	EXPLANATION
56	56	BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
57	57	OF
58	58	J O I N T R E S O L U T I O N
59	59	MAKING AN APPROPRIAT ION OF $90,000,000 TO THE RHODE ISLAND EXECUTIVE
60	60	OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES TO SUPPORT PHYSICIAN
61	61	REIMBURSEMENT RATE INCREASES IN THE RHODE ISLAND MEDICAID PROGRAM
62	62	***
63	63	This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $90,000,000 to the 1
64	64	Rhode Island Executive Office of Health and Human Services to be invested in increasing 2
65	65	reimbursement rates for all physicians and advanced practice providers. 3
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