Governor McKee proposes initiative to keep Rhode Island insured
PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WLNE) – Governor Dan McKee alongside Healthsource RI (HSRI) have announced that the FY2023 budget and State Fiscal Recovery Fund features a plan to support Rhode Islanders through their transition with Medicaid into commercial health coverage with FY2023.
This plan would help HSRI to transition Rhode Islanders into a Qualified Health Plan (QHP) where HSRI would support the first month of costs, This support would keep health coverage accessible.
“Rhode Island is a national leader in health coverage, with over 96 percent of our state insured. This initiative is critical to ensure Rhode Island’s families continue to have access to quality health coverage during these challenging times,” said Governor McKee. “I believe in this initiative, which will remove barriers and keep families across Rhode Island connected to health coverage and the financial support that makes it more affordable.”
“Now more than ever, it’s essential that Rhode Islanders retain health coverage in light of the spread of COVID-19 variants,” Lt. Governor Sabina Matos said. “This investment will ensure that families and individuals who relied on Medicaid for coverage are not caught flat-footed when this benefit ends. This is a forward thinking and equitable use of State Fiscal Recovery Fund dollars, and one I hope we can all rally behind and support.”
The main focus of the plan is to help residents avoid gaps in health coverage. During the Public Health Emergency, the federal government eligibility redeterminations for Medicaid recipients. When the emergency ends, Rhode Islanders who no longer me the requirements will need to find other health coverage.
If approved by the General Assembly, HSRI will use the funds to transition those individuals into commercial coverage. The program is estimated to cost $450,000 a year and would be funded by the State Fiscal Recovery Fund.
“This is a smart and strategic use of state and federal resources that will help keep Rhode Islanders covered and ensure our state stays on a path to near-universal health coverage,” said Lindsay Lang, Director of HealthSource RI. “It’s also consistent with our ‘no wrong door’ approach to health coverage in Rhode Island, ensuring our state programs work together in challenging times to make staying covered easier for our residents.”
