Neronha hosts roundtable with physicians to address primary care shortage
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) — Rhode Island Attorney General Peter Neronha hosted a roundtable discussion with 30 doctors Tuesday night, as he continues to sound the alarm about a healthcare crisis in the state.
“A lot of it was, let’s confirm the frustrations and the problems with the system as we see it,” Neronha said.
The lack of primary care doctors in the state was a key topic of discussion.
“If you can’t get a primary care doctor, which it’s extremely difficult to do right now, that impacts your health and your ability to get access to healthcare,” Doctor Patrick Sullivan said. “And you end up in an emergency room that may be a five to eight hour wait, and that’s no way to access the healthcare system.”
One of the root causes discussed was money, with many doctors saying students graduating med school either can’t afford to work in Rhode Island due to costly student loans, or simply find a better opportunity in nearby states.
“I could spit from here and hit Massachusetts, where there’s that much difference in reimbursement,” Doctor Mark Ryan said. “Over such a small distance, it’s ludicrous.”
In late May, Neronha raised concerns about the state of healthcare coverage in Rhode Island, rolling out a series of initiatives to help close that gap.
“It’s not like doctors are asking for more money,” Neronha said. “What they’re saying is that, ‘I can’t attract people to join my practice, because young doctors getting out of residency can get 30% more in Massachusetts.'”
A week ago, the House Finance Committee adopted part of the attorney general’s plan in the state’s $14.3 billion budget.
House Speaker Joe Shekarchi noted there would be a $45 million investment in primary care reimbursement rate increases.
“Rhode Islanders may not sympathize with doctors because they make a pretty good living, and they do,” Neronha said. “But I think we are now coming to grips with the crisis that we have, which is, the pay is really not about payment, it’s about, we don’t have them.”
“One of the doctors said he saw 40 patients today, you don’t have time to be down in the legislature hammering things out,” Sullivan said. “So I think that it’s really key that the legislators and the speaker and the attorney general, the governor, all work together.”
Neronha plans to invite both Speaker Shekarchi and Senate President Valarie Lawson to another roundtable discussion with the physicians to continue working toward a solution.
