Rhode Island

April 20, 2023 By

Written by J. Mark Ryan, MD, FACP, updated by B. Pearson, OPS

State-based SP organizations

RI Healthcare Access and Affordability Partnership (RIHAAP), https://www.rihealthcare.org/
Medicare For All project, Providence Democratic Socialists of America email contact: medicareforall@provdsa.org

National Organizations with strong SP campaign in the state:

PNHP  https://pnhp.org/chapter/rhode-island/

State-based SP bills  (https://www.rihealthcare.org/legislation)

There are 4 relevant bills: (for details and our supporting research, see https://www.rihealthcare.org/legislation )

Summary:  From the text of the SP bills: “This act would establish a universal, comprehensive, affordable single-payer health care insurance program and help control health care costs, which shall be referred to as, “the Rhode Island Comprehensive Health Insurance Program” (RICHIP). The program will be paid for by consolidating government and private payments to multiple insurance carriers into a more economical and efficient improved Medicare-for-all style single payer program and substituting lower progressive taxes for higher health insurance premiums, co-pays, deductibles and costs due to caps.

This program will save Rhode Islanders from the current overly expensive, inefficient and unsustainable multi-payer health insurance system that unnecessarily prevents access to medically necessary healthcare.”

  1. (H. tba) &  S. 572 An Act relating to health and safety–COMPREHENSIVE HEALTH INSURANCE PROGRAM (proposing state single payer, expanded from previous versions.)  Introduced by Senators Bell, Kallman, Ujifusa, Ciccone, and Lauria.

  2. H. 6646.  A resolution asking for our federal delegation to support federal single payer (which passed the Senate in 2021, so there is only a House resolution)

  3. H. 5474 and S. 109, a bill proposing Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs) – private health insurance companies running about 90% of RI Medicaid be investigated and controlled/removed.  Representatives Solomon, and Morales and Senators Ujifusa, Bell, Valverde, Miller, Quezada, DiMario, Murray, Mack, Gu, and Sosnowski

  4. H. 5708 & S 106. A bill proposing that Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs) be investigated and controlled/removed.  (A senate hearing on the predecessor of this bill took place 3-23-22)

  5. S. 288 Resolution urging termination of ACO REACH Medicare Privatization  

We consider the MCO and PBM bills to be “single payer bills” because they are attempting to remove private insurance companies from running big chunks of the health insurance system.

Summary:  There is growing support for single payer when the goal is framed as removing/reining in private insurance company middlemen who are ripping off consumers and taxpayers.

Obstacles to SP in the current context

CVS (CVS-Aetna) is a major RI-based employer so there is massive corporate opposition. Also, a lot of people work in RI and live in MA, or live part-time in RI, so cross-border issues are complicated.

Advantages for SP in current context

It helps that multiple states have successfully pursued enforcement actions against Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs), including CVS, and are passing anti-PBM legislation.  The Nov. 2022 election of Senator Linda Ujifusa gives the state a strong new voice in the legislature–supporting Single Payer.

Following Sanders 2016 primary win with about 57% of the vote, dozens of progressive pro-single payer candidates have run for and won state and local offices.

Goals for SP movement in RI 2023-2024

  • Ramping up efforts to undertake grassroots organizing and talk with different community groups to build our coalition.  (In 2022, we have had a successful collaboration with groups like PVD DSA and the RI Episcopal Church.)

Shorter-term initiatives

  • Trying to reach out to labor and faith communities through in-person events.

  • Trying to convince Sen. Jack Reed (federal) to become a co-sponsor of federal single payer legislation; (since 2016, 3 out of 4 of our RI federal delegation (2 senators and 2 reps) have become co-sponsors.

  • Trying to ensure that the new Congressman who replaced the retiring one in 2022 for RI Dist. 2 is a single payer supporter.

Where can people find news about Single Payer in your state and/or join a group?

https://www.facebook.com/rihealthcare and www.rihealthcare.org, or email pnhp.ri@gmail.com or call: 401-472-4721

Sign an open letter demanding support for Medicare for ALL https://pnhp.salsalabs.org/RIsignonletterSeptember2020/index.html