STATE HOUSE – Sen. Louis P. DiPalma’s bills which provide for periodic rate reviews and setting processes to ensure accurate and adequate reimbursement of social, human and clinical services will be heard by the Senate Finance Committee on Thursday, April 28.
“Years of stagnation in our state’s Medicaid reimbursement rates have negatively affected hundreds of thousands of Rhode Islanders who rely on a wide range of services. A comprehensive approach is needed to address this situation, and that’s what these bills require. They will ensure that going forward, we conduct regular rate reviews to prevent us from reaching this point again. They will ensure we are investing in the care of Rhode Islanders – and, in turn, that we are investing in our health and human services economy. For our providers, the people they serve, and the future of our state, it is imperative we act now,” said Senator DiPalma (D-Dist. 12, Middletown, Little Compton, Newport, Tiverton).
The first bill (2022-S 2311) establishes a process which would require Executive Office of Health and Human Services, assisted by a 24-member advisory committee, to provide review and recommendations for rate setting and ongoing review of social service programs licensed by state departments, agencies and Medicaid.
The second bill (2022-S 2200) establishes a process which would require Executive Office of Health and Human Services, assisted by a 24-member advisory committee, to provide review and recommendations for rate setting and ongoing review of medical and clinical service programs licensed by state departments, agencies and Medicaid.
The following bills sponsored by Senator DiPalma will also be heard by the Finance Committee on April 28:
· 2022-S 2588 requires the Executive Office of Health and Human Services to submit to the Secretary of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services a state plan amendment to Medicaid dental and chiropractic rates.
·2022-S 2598 increases the daily rate of payments to nursing facilities by 20 percent for single occupancy rooms to include private bathrooms.
· 2022-S 2648 is a joint resolution which would authorize the appropriation of $17,700,000 in order to increase home care provider reimbursement rates and for increases in payments to direct care workers.
·2022-S 2884 increases managed care hospital rates for obstetrician deliveries at 110 percent of the Medicaid fee for service rate.