The Rhode Island legislature is in its final few weeks of its current session still trying to close a substantial budget shortfall, the state continues to face mounting healthcare issues, and the Trump administration has dubbed Rhode Island a sanctuary state.
We asked Gov. Dan McKee about these, and other issues.
The governor was still holding to his promise of “no broad-based tax increases,” with only a few weeks left to close the budget deficit. The Rhode Island Constitution requires the state to end the fiscal year with a balanced budget.
Meanwhile, healthcare issues continue to grow. Physician payments from Medicaid continue to trail neighboring states, a bond sale fell short for CharterCARE Health’s purchase of a regional network that includes Roger Williams Medical center and Our Lady of Fatima, and some elderly patients with disabilities may face the loss of their health care insurance.
UnitedHealthcare notified enrollers in its Medicare Advantage plan unless the insurer and Brown University Health’s hospitals in Rhode Island reach a deal by July 1 the insurer will discontinue its Medicare Advantage plan.
You can listen to the interview with the governor here:
