Healthcare (Insurance)

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 7950: AN ACT RELATING TO STATE AFFAIRS AND GOVERNMENT -- THE RHODE ISLAND HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT OF 2004 -- HEALTH INSURANCE OVERSIGHT

HB 7950 regulates prescription drug price increases in Rhode Island by imposing a penalty on manufacturers who raise prices without new clinical evidence. It targets "identified drugs" with "unsupported price increases" as determined by the Institute for Clinical and Economic Review (ICER). Manufacturers face an 80% penalty on the revenue difference between actual sales and what they would have earned at the prior year's wholesale cost (adjusted for inflation), but only if their annual sales exceed $250,000 in the state. The penalty applies for two years after a drug appears on ICER's annual report of unsupported increases. This directly affects drug manufacturers selling in Rhode Island who implement such price hikes.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRegulates drug price increases without clinical evidence, imposing penalties to improve affordability and patient access to medications, aligning with healthcare access protection.90% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 23, 2026

HB 7625: AN ACT RELATING TO HEALTH AND SAFETY -- DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH

Commencing January 1, 2027, mandates insurers provide health insurance coverage without cost-share requirements for vaccinations recommended by the DOH and mandates the coverage for the medical assistance program and managed care organizations.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates no-cost vaccination coverage for insurers and public programs, expanding access to preventive care without cost barriers.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

signed · Rhode Island · House Jun 10, 2026

HB 7837: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- DENTISTS AND DENTAL HYGIENISTS

HB 7837 allows dental hygienists working in public-health settings - such as schools, nursing homes, and community health centers - to receive reimbursement from insurance companies or Medicare, not just Medicaid. Currently, these hygienists could only be paid by Medicaid or state healthcare programs, but the bill removes that restriction. This change expands payment options for preventive dental services provided in community settings without altering the requirement for a written agreement with a dentist or patient consent forms. The bill directly affects dental hygienists and public-health facilities by enabling broader insurance coverage for their services.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareExpands reimbursement for dental hygienists in public health settings, increasing access to preventive care through broader insurance/Medicare coverage without restricting Medicaid payments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Medicaid Medicare

died · Rhode Island · House Mar 24, 2026

HB 7539: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- BENEFIT DETERMINATION AND UTILIZATION REVIEW ACT

Limits the use by insurers of step therapy, a protocol that establishes a specific sequence in which prescription drugs for a specified medical condition are covered by an insurer, by allowing medical providers to request step therapy exceptions.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareLimits insurer step therapy restrictions, enabling provider exceptions for patient access to necessary medications, aligning with improved patient access indicators.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Prescription Drugs

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 3, 2026

HB 7534: AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- PHARMACIES

HB 7534 allows licensed pharmacists to prescribe and dispense FDA-approved tobacco cessation drugs under specific conditions. Pharmacists must complete state-approved education, verify patients meet criteria (age 18+, participation in a structured program, and nicotine safety education), and refer high-risk cases to primary care providers. The bill also mandates that health insurance plans cover these pharmacist-provided cessation services starting January 1, 2027, without requiring supervision or referrals from other providers. This policy directly affects pharmacists, patients seeking smoking cessation support, and health insurers by expanding access to tobacco cessation care through pharmacists' existing scope of practice.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for pharmacist-provided tobacco cessation services, expanding access to healthcare and aligning with public health goals.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Healthcare Workforce Insurance Prescription Drugs

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 12, 2026

HB 7944: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE USE DISORDERS

HB 7944 requires health insurance plans to cover mental health and substance use disorder treatment under the same terms as medical care. It prohibits annual or lifetime dollar limits on such coverage and mandates that financial requirements (like copays) and treatment restrictions must not be more stringent than those for physical health conditions. The bill specifies coverage categories (e.g., inpatient, outpatient), mandates medication-assisted treatments for substance use disorders (like methadone), and ensures cost-sharing for behavioral health visits matches primary care standards, directly affecting all health insurance plans and their policyholders.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates equal insurance coverage for mental health/substance use disorders as physical health, prohibits dollar limits, and requires non-discriminatory copays/treatment restrictions.95% confidence ✓ VeteransSupports VeteransThe bill expands mental health and substance use disorder coverage, which directly benefits veterans who often require these services per VA data.80% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Mental Health Substance Abuse

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died · Rhode Island · House Apr 14, 2026

HB 7722: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES-DENTAL INSURANCE COVERAGE

HB 7722 requires health insurers to pay dental benefits directly to non-contracted dentists when patients request it, provided the dentist meets the insurer’s credentialing standards. Insurers must pay at least the highest rate they pay to contracted dentists for the same service, with no more than a 5% reduction allowed. This applies to standard dental insurance policies but excludes hospital indemnity, Medicare supplements, and other limited benefit plans. The bill gives patients more choice in dental providers without insurers unfairly reducing payments based on non-participation.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareRequires insurers to pay non-contracted dentists fairly, expanding patient choice and access to dental care under standard insurance policies95% confidence

Sub-Topics Hospitals Insurance Medical Licensing

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 3, 2026

HB 7537: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES

Mandates insurance coverage for scalp cooling treatments for cancer patients undergoing chemotherapy to prevent hair loss during chemotherapy treatments.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurance coverage for scalp cooling treatments, expanding patient access to cancer care options and strengthening coverage for specific medical treatments.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance

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died · Rhode Island · Senate May 6, 2026

SB 2740: AN ACT RELATING TO LABOR AND LABOR RELATIONS -- MINIMUM WAGES -- HEALTHCARE WORKER OVERTIME PAY

SB 2740 requires healthcare workers (such as nurses, technicians, and support staff in hospitals or clinics) to receive time-and-a-half pay for any work performed on Sundays or public holidays. This applies directly to employees in healthcare settings who work on these days, mandating higher compensation for that specific schedule. The key provision replaces the current pay structure for Sunday/holiday shifts with a guaranteed 50% premium for all eligible healthcare workers. The bill aims to provide clearer compensation standards for these shifts without altering broader overtime rules.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates time-and-a-half pay for healthcare workers on Sundays/holidays, strengthening workforce compensation in healthcare services.95% confidence ✓ Labor & EmploymentSupports Labor & EmploymentMandates time-and-a-half pay for healthcare workers on Sundays/holidays, directly increasing compensation and strengthening wage protections for covered employees.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Labor Standards

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died · Rhode Island · House Mar 3, 2026

HB 7628: AN ACT RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES-NON-OPIOID PAIN TREATMENT

HB 7628 requires health insurers in the state to develop plans providing adequate coverage and access to non-opioid pain management services, including non-opioid medications and non-drug alternatives, for policies delivered, issued, or renewed after January 1, 2027. Insurers must submit these plans to the health insurance commissioner for approval, ensuring they do not unduly favor opioid coverage over other options. The plans must include educational materials for providers and be posted on insurer websites. This applies to all health insurance carriers offering prescription coverage, aiming to expand access to non-opioid pain treatment alternatives.

Topics ✓ HealthcareSupports HealthcareMandates insurers to provide adequate non-opioid pain management coverage, expands patient access to alternatives, and prohibits favoring opioid coverage per bill text.95% confidence

Sub-Topics Insurance Substance Abuse

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