2025 -- H 5772

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LC001241

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     STATE OF RHODE ISLAND

IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY

JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2025

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A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE-- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES

     

     Introduced By: Representatives McEntee, Spears, Fogarty, Cotter, Donovan, Azzinaro,
Kennedy, Edwards, Caldwell, and Noret

     Date Introduced: February 26, 2025

     Referred To: House Finance

     It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:

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     SECTION 1. Section 27-18-69 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-18 entitled "Accident

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and Sickness Insurance Policies" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     27-18-69. Licensed ambulance service.

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     (a) No individual or group health insurance contract, plan or policy delivered, issued for

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delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2009 shall provide for a co-payment for

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ground ambulance services in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00).

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     (b) As used in this section, the term “ground ambulance services” shall mean those services

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provided by an ambulance service licensed to operate in Rhode Island in accordance with § 23-4.1-

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6. The term excludes air and water ambulance services and ambulance services provided outside

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of Rhode Island.

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     (c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this This section shall not apply to insurance coverage

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providing benefits for: (1) hospital confinement indemnity; (2) disability income; (3) accident only;

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(4) long-term care; (5) Medicare supplement; (6) limited benefit health; (7) specified disease

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indemnity; (8) sickness or bodily injury or death by accident or both; and (9) other limited benefit

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policies.

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     (d) Individual and group health insurance contracts, plans, and policies issued for delivery,

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or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2026 shall provide reimbursement rates for ambulance

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services equal to reimbursement rates provided by Medicare for the same medical services. For

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purposes of this section, "ambulance" means any publicly or privately owned vehicle, designed,

 

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constructed, equipped, and operated for emergency medical treatment and/or transportation of

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persons who are sick or injured.

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     SECTION 2. Section 27-19-60 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-19 entitled "Nonprofit

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Hospital Service Corporations" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     27-19-60. Licensed ambulance service.

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     (a) No individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy delivered, issued for

7

delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2009, shall provide for a copayment for

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ground ambulance services in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00).

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     (b) As used in this section, the term “ground ambulance services” shall mean those services

10

provided by an ambulance service licensed to operate in Rhode Island in accordance with § 23-4.1-

11

6. The term excludes air and water ambulance services and ambulance services provided outside

12

of Rhode Island.

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     (c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this This section shall not apply to insurance coverage

14

providing benefits for: (1) Hospital confinement indemnity; (2) Disability income; (3) Accident

15

only; (4) Long-term care; (5) Medicare supplement; (6) Limited benefit health; (7) Specified

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disease indemnity; (8) Sickness or bodily injury or death by accident, or both; and (9) Other limited

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benefit policies.

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     (d) Individual and group health insurance contracts, plans, and policies issued for delivery,

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or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2026 shall provide reimbursement rates for ambulance

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services equal to reimbursement rates provided by Medicare for the same medical services. For

21

purposes of this section, "ambulance" means any publicly or privately owned vehicle, designed,

22

constructed, equipped, and operated for emergency medical treatment and/or transportation of

23

persons who are sick or injured.

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     SECTION 3. Section 27-20-55 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-20 entitled "Nonprofit

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Medical Service Corporations" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     27-20-55. Licensed ambulance service.

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     (a) No individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy delivered, issued for

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delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2009, shall provide for a copayment for

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ground ambulance services in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00).

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     (b) As used in this section, the term “ground ambulance services” shall mean those services

31

provided by an ambulance service licensed to operate in Rhode Island in accordance with § 23-4.1-

32

6. The term excludes air and water ambulance services and ambulance services provided outside

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of Rhode Island.

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     (c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this This section shall not apply to insurance coverage

 

LC001241 - Page 2 of 5

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providing benefits for: (1) Hospital confinement indemnity; (2) Disability income; (3) Accident

2

only; (4) Long-term care; (5) Medicare supplement; (6) Limited benefit health; (7) Specified

3

disease indemnity; (8) Sickness or bodily injury or death by accident, or both; and (9) Other limited

4

benefit policies.

5

     (d) Individual and group health insurance contracts, plans, and policies issued for delivery,

6

or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2026 shall provide reimbursement rates for ambulance

7

services equal to reimbursement rates provided by Medicare for the same medical services. For

8

purposes of this section, "ambulance" means any publicly or privately owned vehicle, designed,

9

constructed, equipped, and operated for emergency medical treatment and/or transportation of

10

persons who are sick or injured.

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     SECTION 4. Section 27-41-73 of the General Laws in Chapter 27-41 entitled "Health

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Maintenance Organizations" is hereby amended to read as follows:

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     27-41-73. Licensed ambulance service.

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     (a) No individual or group health insurance contract, plan, or policy delivered, issued for

15

delivery, or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2009, shall provide for a copayment for

16

ground ambulance services in excess of fifty dollars ($50.00).

17

     (b) As used in this section, the term “ground ambulance services” shall mean those services

18

provided by an ambulance service licensed to operate in Rhode Island in accordance with § 23-4.1-

19

6. The term excludes air and water ambulance services and ambulance services provided outside

20

of Rhode Island.

21

     (c) Subsections (a) and (b) of this This section shall not apply to insurance coverage

22

providing benefits for: (1) Hospital confinement indemnity; (2) Disability income; (3) Accident

23

only; (4) Long-term care; (5) Medicare supplement; (6) Limited benefit health; (7) Specified

24

disease indemnity; (8) Sickness or bodily injury or death by accident or both; and (9) Other limited

25

benefit policies.

26

     (d) Individual and group health insurance contracts, plans, and policies issued for delivery,

27

or renewed in this state on or after January 1, 2026 shall provide reimbursement rates for ambulance

28

services equal to reimbursement rates provided by Medicare for the same medical services. For

29

purposes of this section, "ambulance" means any publicly or privately owned vehicle, designed,

30

constructed, equipped, and operated for emergency medical treatment and/or transportation of

31

persons who are sick or injured.

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     SECTION 5. Chapter 40-8 of the General Laws entitled "Medical Assistance" is hereby

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amended by adding thereto the following section:

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     40-8-33. Medicaid reimbursement rate increase.

 

LC001241 - Page 3 of 5

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     Medicaid reimbursement rates for ambulance services shall be equal to reimbursement

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rates provided by Medicare for the same medical services. For purposes of this section,

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"ambulance" means any publicly or privately owned vehicle, designed, constructed, equipped, and

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operated for emergency medical treatment and/or transportation of persons who are sick or injured.

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     SECTION 6. This act shall take effect on January 1, 2026.

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EXPLANATION

BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL

OF

A N   A C T

RELATING TO INSURANCE-- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES

***

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     This act would increase individual, group, and Medicaid insurance rates of reimbursement

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for ambulance services to be equal to reimbursement rates provided by Medicare for the same

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medical services.

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     This act would take effect on January 1, 2026.

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