Attempt to preserve Obamacare protections appears dead in R.I. House

Providence Journal (RI)

June 30--PROVIDENCE, R.I. -- Legislation approved unanimously by the Senate to enshrine the Affordable Care Act protections in Rhode Island law appears to be dead on arrival in the House, according to the bill's House sponsor.

Rep. Brian Kennedy, D-Hopkinton, who introduced a companion House bill (H-6156), said Thursday afternoon that the House leadership is "very concerned" about enacting coverage mandates without federal subsidies to fund them.

"I don't think it's gonna move as of right now," Kennedy said. "Ultimately in talking with some of the other co-sponsors of the [House] bill -- Rep. [Teresa A.] Tanzi and Rep. [Deborah] Ruggiero -- it may be wise, at this point, to create some kind of study commission, particularly since we don't know what's going to happen in Washington."

Supporters of the legislation -- including the health insurance commissioner and the top executives of the Office of Health and Human Services and HealthSource RI -- say it will protect consumers without costing the state any more money, according to a June 28 letter to House and Senate leaders.

Spearheaded by Sen. Joshua Miller, D-Cranston, the "Market Stability and Consumer Protection Act" aims to protect Rhode Island consumers from changes at the federal level should Congress repeal or weaken the federal law known as Obamacare.

The legislation would require Rhode Island insurers that sell individual and small-group plans to cover Obamacare's "10 essential benefits," such as preventive, mental health and maternity services as well as contraceptives.

It also would prohibit lifetime limits on benefits. And it would guarantee coverage for dependents on their parents' plan up to age 26.

The House bill appeared briefly on the Corporations Committee calendar earlier this week, only to vanish hours later. The posting was a clerical error, House spokesman Larry Berman said.

Gov. Gina Raimondo supports the legislation, her spokesman, David Ortiz, said.

"We've been working with the legislature in the hopes that it will reach her desk so she can sign it," Ortiz said.

Despite the assessment by the House bill's sponsor that it won't get to the House floor, Ortiz said the governor has not given up. The session is scheduled to continue on Friday.

"We're still hopeful," he said.

--larditi@providencejournal.com

(401) 277-7335

On Twitter: @LynnArditi

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