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Gina Raimondo on Health Care
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COVID: civil liability immunity for hospitals, nursing homes
On April 9, top officials from Rhode Island's nursing home lobbying groups sent a letter to Raimondo's office requesting immunity from civil liability if their residents faced injury or death from COVID-19. One day later, the governor's office issued an
executive order granting the lobbyists what they had asked for: hospitals and nursing homes were classified as emergency management facilities and granted immunity from civil liability, except in cases of gross negligence or willful misconduct.
Source: Jacobin magazine on 2021 Biden Cabinet
, Dec 2, 2020
Privatized & cut budgets for Medicaid
Raimondo's plan involved privatizing management of Medicaid in the state, outsourcing management to private insurers. By 2018, over 60% of the state's Medicaid budget went to private health insurers. That year, hospital administrators called
Raimondo's round of cuts to Medicaid "devastating." The governor's proposed budget for 2020, introduced before the pandemic broke out in the United States, included nearly $60 million in Medicaid cuts.
Source: Jacobin magazine on 2021 Biden Cabinet
, Dec 2, 2020
Almost 97% insurance rate through state health exchange
When I became governor, we decided to keep running our own state health exchange instead of giving it to the federal government. Because of that decision--and a lot of hard work--almost 97% of Rhode Islanders have health insurance.
That's higher than almost any other state. While premiums are increasing across the country, here in Rhode Island most premiums will decrease this year on our exchange. No one should have to choose between going to the doctor and buying groceries.
Source: 2020 Rhode Island State of the State address
, Jan 14, 2020
Reinvent Medicaid: expand and improve access
One year after Governor Gina M. Raimondo established the Working Group to Reinvent Medicaid, Rhode Island is positioned to expand and improve access to quality care and reduce costs. The state is projected to achieve over $100 million of annual Medicaid
savings without cutting eligibility or reducing benefits. These reforms protect and expand vital health services and shift the state's Medicaid system toward a structure that rewards better outcomes, better coordination and higher-quality care.
"While there is more work to do, Rhode Island is up to the challenge of expanding access to quality health care and controlling costs," Raimondo said. "We could have kicked the can down the road. Instead, we worked with the legislature
to pass a comprehensive, progressive package of reforms that transforms our system to reward quality. Our reforms will ensure more Rhode Islanders have access to important health care services."
Source: PR: Rhode Island voting record: Reinventing Medicaid Act
, Feb 26, 2016
Page last updated: Aug 31, 2021