Increases insurance coverage for hearing aids from one thousand five hundred dollars ($1,500) to one thousand seven hundred fifty dollars ($1,750), per ear, for all people regardless of age effective January 1, 2026.
Requires the department of health to incorporate information about dementia risk factors and reduction into public education and healthcare provider education materials.
Maddy summaryHB 5801 updates definitions and procedures for low- and moderate-income housing in Rhode Island municipalities. It clarifies how housing units count toward municipal requirements, specifying that federal rental assistance vouchers now count as whole units (not half-units) for compliance, and mobile homes meeting certain criteria count as half-units if monitored. The bill also refines terms like "affordable housing plan" and "consistent with local needs" to align with housing planning standards. These changes directly affect cities and towns developing housing plans and developers seeking approval for subsidized housing projects.
Maddy summaryHB 6038 removes the previous 3-month supply limit for initial contraceptive prescriptions dispensed by pharmacists in Rhode Island. This change directly affects patients seeking their first contraceptive prescription from a pharmacist, allowing them to receive a longer initial supply. The bill amends existing law to eliminate the three-month restriction while maintaining other requirements, such as pharmacist training, risk assessments, and provider notification. It ensures insurance coverage for pharmacist-prescribed contraceptives under the same terms as prescriptions from other providers.
Provides extended producer responsibility for packaging and paper, recycling of beverage containers, and provides general provisions for oversight of single-stage producer organizations.
Changes the name of "applied behavior assistant analyst" to "assistant applied behavior analyst" and makes several changes to provide consistency in the certification language for behavioral analysts.
Authorizes a pharmacy technician or pharmacy intern to perform technology-assisted dispensing process validation for medications prepared for distribution by another pharmacy technician or intern within an institutional pharmacy.
Maddy summaryHB 5633 allows pharmacists to dispense a one-time refill of certain medications for up to 100 days to help patients continue essential therapy when a doctor isn't immediately available or the patient lacks a current prescriber. It applies only to non-controlled medications critical for chronic conditions (like diabetes or heart disease), where stopping treatment could cause serious health issues, and requires pharmacists to notify the prescriber within seven business days. The bill specifically excludes controlled substances (Schedules II-V) and mandates that pharmacists use professional judgment to assess health risks. It takes effect on July 1, 2025, and directly affects patients with ongoing medical needs and pharmacists managing prescription access.
Adds the process of permitting the construction of attached single-family dwellings in identified zoning districts as a factor that zoning ordinances must address.
Establishes a rare disease advisory council within the department of health and provides guidance and recommendations to educate health care providers and the citizens of the state.
