Behavioral Healthcare

• THE HEALTHCARE SERVICES FUNDING PLAN ACT: S.0530SubA by Senator Goodwin: Amends RI's existing Healthcare Services Funding Plan Act by adding an account relating to a new Psychiatry Resource Network to fund RI's present PediPRN and MomsPRN, as well as similar programs which may be added by regulation in the future.
• ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES: EMS TRANSPORT TO ALTERNATE FACILITIES: H.5873/S.0576SubA by Representative Kislak and Senator Miller: Authorizes emergency medical service agencies to transport individuals to alternative facilities for treatment and permits licensed providers for mental health disorders to treat patients within the community.
• INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR MENTAL ILLNESS AND SUBSTANCE ABUSE: LONG ACTING INJECTIBLES: H.6220 by Representative Casey: Requires insurance plan chapters 18, 19, 20, and 41 of title 27 the Rhode Island medical assistance program, chapter 8 of title 40 and any contract thereto, to separately reimburse, at prevailing fee schedule, for long-acting injectable medications.

• ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES: WHITE BAGGING: H.5680/S.0870 by Representative Caldwell and Senator Ujifusa: Prohibits healthcare entities from interfering with a patient's right to choose to obtain a clinician-administered drug from their provider or pharmacy of choice.
• PROTOCOLS FOR EARLY RECOGNITION OF SEPSIS/SEVERE SEPSIS/SEPSIS SHOCK: H.5869/S.0283 by Representative DeSimone and Senator Pearson: Sepsis and septic shock best practices for hospital and emergency care facilities.
• THE RHODE ISLAND HEALTH CARE REFORM ACT OF 2004 -- HEALTH INSURANCE OVERSIGHT: H.5495/S.0290SubA by Representative Potter and Senator DiMario: Requires a workgroup of health care providers and health insurers convened by the office of the health commissioner, to make recommendations regarding prior authorization policies.

• eNURSE LICENSURE COMPACT: H.5737SubA/S.0275 by Representative Kennedy and Senator Miller: Amends the interstate nurse licensure compact and adopts an enhanced and more comprehensive version of the compact, to allow nurses to hold a multi-state license allowing them to practice across state lines without having to obtain multiple licenses.
• NURSES NCLEX: H.5349/S.0284 by Representative Casey and Senator Lawson: Amends the conditions upon which a nurse would be exempt from certain licensing requirements to include eligibility to practice before taking and receiving results of the NCLEX exam.
• CLINICAL PRECEPTORS TAX CREDIT ACT: H.5395/S.0245 by Representative Casimiro and Senator Lauria: Allows for a tax credit of up to $1,000 for any nurse practitioner, physician assistant or physician who provides on-site clinical education as a clinical preceptor to nurse practitioner graduate students.
• INTERSTATE MEDICAL LICENSURE COMPACT: S.0289 by Senator Valverde: Repeals the sunset provision of the interstate medical licensure act.)

Budget

On Friday June 9, 2023, the RI House of Representatives approved passage H.5200SubA, an act making appropriations for the support of the state for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2024. The recommended budget includes investments in Medicaid reimbursement, behavioral health, and maternal health.

Professional Liability

• PROCEDURE GENERALLY -EVIDENCE: H.6434 by Representative Craven: Provides that statements of apology or sympathy by a healthcare provider to a patient, patients relatives or representatives regarding a patient's unanticipated medical care outcome are inadmissible as evidence of liability.
• HOUSE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO STUDY AND PROVIDE RECOMMENDATIONS AND COMMENTS FOR HEALTHCARE LIABILITY REFORM: H.6401 by Representative Craven: Creates a 15 member legislative commission to study and provide recommendations and annotations for healthcare liability reform in Rhode Island, and report back to the House by January 15, 2024, and expire on April 15, 2024.