SB 2101 establishes Rhode Island's Medical Primary Care Scholarship Program to address provider shortages. It provides up to five $70,000 annual scholarships per year for medical students and five $47,000 annual scholarships for nurse practitioner or physician assistant students. Recipients must agree to work in Rhode Island primary care for a period matching their scholarship duration (4 years for med students, 2 years for NPs/PAs) and sign a promissory note for funds received. The program, administered by the Department of Health and Commissioner of Postsecondary Education, aims to recruit and retain primary care providers to meet the state's growing healthcare needs.
Reduces the cigarette tax imposed by 75% for any modified risk tobacco product as defined in § 21 U.S.C. 387 k as a tobacco product sold/distributed to reduce the harm/risk of tobacco-related disease associated with commercially marketed tobacco products.
SNAP) EAT WELL, BE WELL REWARDS PROGRAM (This resolution would authorize the appropriation of the sum of $4,800,000 to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) Eat Well, Be Well Rewards Program.
This bill expands Rhode Island's existing health professional loan repayment program to include healthcare providers working in primary care settings, in addition to those serving medically underserved populations. The program offers financial assistance to repay student loans for eligible professionals such as physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician assistants who commit to working in designated shortage areas or primary care facilities for at least two years. A state board will administer the program, determining eligible locations based on health professional shortage area designations and primary care provider needs, while reviewing applications and verifying applicant qualifications. The legislation aims to address staffing challenges in primary care by providing incentives to help recruit and retain healthcare workers in areas with limited access to medical services.
SB 2109 prohibits health insurers and pharmacy benefit managers from requiring or conducting insurance reviews for prescriptions used to treat opioid or alcohol use disorder. Specifically, it blocks reviews for medications containing methadone, buprenorphine, or naltrexone, or for any FDA-approved medication managing opioid withdrawal. The bill directly affects patients seeking addiction treatment and insurers/pharmacy managers handling these prescriptions. It also requires Medicaid managed care organizations to use state-set medical necessity criteria for reviews. The law takes effect upon passage.
This Senate resolution asks the Rhode Island Governor to order an analysis of why the state's Veterans Home in Bristol cannot hire enough staff to operate at full capacity. The requested study will examine specific issues such as wages, shift pay, housing, and career opportunities to understand the root causes of the staffing shortage. Based on the findings, the Governor must create a plan to reach full occupancy and include those recommendations in the upcoming state budget. This measure directly affects the Veterans Home, the state's Department of Administration, and the budget process for the 2027-2028 fiscal year.
Prohibits insurance companies from paying a rate that is less than the approved Medicaid rate set by the executive office of health and human services.
Requires healthcare insurers, without prior authorization, to provide post-acute care services to patients discharged from a hospital for a minimum of seven (7) days commencing on or after January 1, 2027.
Establishes the operations necessary for a 988 hotline for suicide prevention/behavioral health crisis management. Establishes the operations necessary for acute mental health crisis outreach/stabilization services in direct response to the 988 hotline.
Establishes the framework to create a medical school at the University of Rhode Island and provides an initial appropriation of five million dollars ($5,000,000) as the first phase of a multi-year investment for the development of a medical school.
