AG Neronha announced a series of health care-related legislative proposals aimed at improving Rhode Island’s health care system, including legislation intended to lower prescription drug costs, ensure the stability of Rhode Island hospitals, and prevent the increasingly predatory practices of anti-competitive, market-dominating Pharmacy Benefit Managers (PBMs). This announcement follows significant actions taken over the last year by the Office to strengthen the state’s health care landscape, including legal action against PBMs, successful advocacy to significantly raise Medicaid reimbursement rates for primary care, and regulations requiring pre-merger notification for certain health care transactions, among other initiatives. 

“We must approach reform with multi-faceted, innovative solutions. Last year, working with the General Assembly, we made significant strides by increasing primary care reimbursements and reducing burdensome and unnecessary prior authorization requirements. Yet our problems persist. Reimbursement rates are still too low, which makes recruiting and retaining primary care physicians extremely difficult. Many would rather practice in Massachusetts or Connecticut where reimbursement rates for primary care are higher, or forego dealing with health insurance altogether and move to concierge medicine. Rhode Islanders are paying far too much for essential, life-saving medications, and PBMs continue their exploitive tactics, even targeting independent pharmacies that have been faithfully serving their communities for years." – AG Neronha