Overview
STATE BUDGET
Rhode Island operates on an annual budget cycle. The governor submits a proposed budget in January and the legislature adopts a budget in June. The fiscal year begins on July 1 and ends on June 30 in the following year. The governor is constitutionally required to submit a balanced budget proposal, and the legislature is required to pass a balanced budget.
STATE LEGISLATURE
The State of Rhode Island General Assembly is comprised of a 38 seat Senate, and a 75 member House of Representatives. Both Senators and Representatives serve two-year terms. Each General Assembly session begins the first Tuesday in January and continues until sometime in June. Bills do not carry over from year to year.
KEY RESOURCES
- Rhode Island State General Assembly
- Rhode Island Office of the Attorney General
- Rhode Island Governor
- Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner
- Rhode Island Department of Health
- Rhode Island All-Payer Claims Database
2025 LEGISLATIVE SUMMARY
Rhode Island passed H5120/S0168, which establishes a three-year pilot program that prevents insurers from requiring prior authorization for services prescribed by in-network primary care providers in order to reduce administrative burdens to patient care, with exceptions for prescribed drugs.
Rhode Island Laws
23 R.I Gen. Laws §§ 23-15-1 through 23-15-11: Health Care Certificate of Need Act of Rhode Island – Rhode Island
Introduced: Status: Enacted
The purpose of this chapter is to provide for the development, establishment, and enforcement of standards for the authorization and allocation of new institutional health services and new health care equipment.
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23 R.I. Gen. Law § 23-17-61. Written estimates for hospital medical services: Health Care Facility Licensing Act of Rhode Island – Rhode Island
Introduced: Status: Enacted
Requires that a hospital provide to a prospective patient, the requested cost estimate of their requested anticipated hospital services within five business days of request and the cost of any facility fee.
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23 R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-1-1.1. Health planning — Findings: Department of Health – Rhode Island
Introduced: Status: Enacted
It is found and determined that health planning is essential to promote appropriate access to high quality health services at a reasonable cost and is a precondition to effective public health practice by the department […]
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23 R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-1-1.2. Health planning process: Department of Health – Rhode Island
Introduced: Status: Enacted
The director of health, with the approval of the governor, may appoint various committees and task forces as appropriate to assist and advise the department of health in the conduct of its health planning responsibilities, […]
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23 R.I. Gen. Laws § 23-17-19.1. Rights of Patients: Health Care Facility Licensing Act of Rhode Island – Rhode Island
Introduced: Status: Enacted
Respecting the rights of patients vis-à-vis health care facilities licensed by the state, a patient may request the identity of all health care practitioners that the facility has authorized to participate in the patient’s treatment, […]
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