13-R391
2013 -- S 1044
Enacted 07/03/13
S E N A T E R E
S O L U T I O N
RESPECTFULLY
REQUESTING THE EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES AND THE
Introduced By: Senators Miller, Satchell, Cool Rumsey, Goldin, and Nesselbush
Date Introduced: July 02, 2013
WHEREAS, The State of
Rhode Island is fully committed to the health and welfare of its
citizens by providing access to quality, affordable health insurance
through the implementation of
the federal Affordable Care Act (ACA) and implementation
of the Rhode Island Health Exchange
(“The Marketplace”); and
WHEREAS, The Ocean State
is a leader in its design of the Health Exchange and Unified
Health Infrastructure Project (UHIP), creating a
singular platform to support both new and
existing health insurance initiatives under the Affordable
Care Act (ACA), bolster existing human
services programs, and provide hosting services for the
state’s health benefits exchange “The
Marketplace” and eligibility systems; and
WHEREAS, The Rhode
Island Fiscal Year 2014 Budget eliminated RIte Care
premiums
to enhance the affordability of overall family coverage,
while expanding Medicaid coverage to
residents that qualify with incomes up to 133 percent of the
Federal Poverty Level (FPL) who are
not currently eligible for Medicaid coverage; and
WHEREAS, There are
discrepancies between the Medicaid definition of the
“affordability standard” for
health insurance premium costs at 5 percent of gross income and the
Affordable Care Act’s (ACA) definition of 9.5 percent;
and
WHEREAS, Advocates and
policymakers have expressed concern with the FY 2014
budget shift of 6,500 adults between 133 percent to 175
percent FPL from Medicaid coverage to
the Exchange, that offer subsidy amounts that are
currently indeterminable, for those that qualify
to pay for premium expenses, and out-of-pocket costs;
now, therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this Senate of the State of
respectfully requests the Executive Office of Health and Human
Services (EOHHS), Office of
Medicaid and Office of the
Health Exchange to submit a report to the Senate Committee on
Health and Human Services
on or before April 15, 2014, with the following information for
newly-enrolled adults between 133 percent to 175 percent FPL through
the health exchange: (i)
The take-up rates for
coverage, as compared with the previous year’s enrollments for Medicaid
coverage; (ii) The average subsidy amounts per enrollee; (iii)
The average out-of-pocket expenses
in the first quarter and estimates per annum; (iv) Any
other relevant information to fully examine
the transition; and (v) Recommendations for improvements
and/or modifications to the current
policy; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of State be and hereby is
authorized and directed to send
a duly certified copy of this resolution to the
Executive Office of Health and Human Services.
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LC02959
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