Rep. Susan Donovan

Maddy summaryThis bill prohibits pharmacy benefits managers from engaging in specific deceptive trade practices, including spread pricing, effective rate pricing, and patient steering. It directly affects pharmacy benefits managers, pharmacies, pharmacists, and patients enrolled in health plans administered by these managers within Rhode Island. The legislation defines prohibited actions such as charging higher prices than reimbursed amounts, steering patients toward affiliated pharmacies, penalizing enrollees for pharmacy choices, and misusing patient prescription data for business gain. Violations are classified as unfair and deceptive trade practices, allowing the attorney general to pursue legal remedies for each individual consumer transaction where a prohibited act occurs.

Increases and reallocates the fees collected for motor vehicle inspections, including motorcycle inspections, with an allocation of ten dollars ($10.00) to the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority (RIPTA).

Authorizes pharmacists to order, perform and interpret CLIA-waived tests authorized by statewide protocol and prescribe medications, and permits coverage by all health insurance carriers.

Increases continuing education requirements for physician assistants, removes restrictions of PAs to render charitable care and aid for school and youth programs or cardiac arrest and removes restrictive covenants as to ownership by a PA.

Provides that a defendant's third and subsequent violation of domestic violence offenses, including both prior felony and misdemeanor convictions, would be punishable as a felony.

Creates a publicly funded program for uninsured individuals requiring on an appropriation of $53,200,000 for fiscal year 2027 and an appropriation of 109,600,000 for fiscal year 2028 and every fiscal year thereafter.

Allows for the licensing of certified surgical first assistants to assist in surgeries through the department of health and a 7 member board of licensure.

Creates and establishes the Health Care and Social Services Transaction Review and Significant Equity Investor Disclosure Act designed to enhance disclosure for material changes involving significant equity investors.

Maddy summaryHB 7045 authorizes the town of Bristol to apply its owner-occupied residential tax rate to mixed-use properties where the residential portion is owner-occupied, rather than the higher commercial rate. This directly affects Bristol property owners with properties combining residential and commercial use (like a home with a small storefront), potentially lowering their tax burden. The bill amends tax classification rules to allow Bristol to treat these properties as residential for tax purposes under specific conditions. It does not change tax rates for other towns or property types.

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.