Copy of November Newsletter - Rhode Island 2019/Final November Newsletter.pdfCopy of November...
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OHIC NEWS NOVEMBER 2019 The Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner Rhode Island Recognized for Primary Care Investment and Innovation Last month, OHIC Commissioner Marie Ganim was invited to Boston to present on Rhode Island’s successful experience in investing in primary care at the Annual Health Care Cost Trends Hearing by the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission. Joined by Chris Koller, President of the Milbank Memorial Fund and former Commissioner of OHIC, the two presented on Rhode Island’s experience in primary care investment and creating policies that strengthen primary care in our state. David Seltz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, recognized Rhode Island as a national leader when it comes to putting state policies in place that try to increase the proportion of our health care dollar going towards primary care. In 2010, OHIC enacted the Affordability Standards. A key aspect of those regulations was a requirement for commercial insurers to increase their spending on primary care, without raising premiums. Insurers were required to increase the percentage of their overall medical spending dedicated to primary care by 1 percentage point per year for five years, resulting in an increase from 5.7 to 10.7 percent in 2015. One possible sign that primary care investments in our state have been successful is the 2019 Commonwealth Fund report on State Health System Performance. Each year the Commonwealth Fund ranks each state on 47 measures of health care access, quality, and efficiency. This year, Rhode Island was ranked as the number one most improved state in the country, moving up nine ranks over other states since last year, and notably moving up 15 ranks in Prevention & Treatment and 10 ranks in Access and Affordability. These results are thanks to efforts from numerous organizations and agencies from across the state, and Commissioner Ganim credits part of this improvement to the state’s commitment to investing in primary care. Going forward, OHIC plans to continue to support and invest in primary care through amendments to the Affordability Standards. Next steps include decreasing the administrative burden to help make the integration of behavioral health and primary care easier, encouraging the adoption of alternative payment models and continuing to move away from fee-for-service care. Chris Koller, president of the Milbank Memorial Fund (left), Marie Ganim, OHIC Commissioner (right) Buyer Beware: OHIC Warns of the Risks of Health Care Sharing Ministries OHIC advises consumers to be aware of the risk associated with purchasing products from health care sharing ministries (HCSMs), such as Aliera. HCSMs are not health insurance, and they do not guarantee payment of claims. These companies are typically unregulated, unlicesned, and their products are often misleading to consumers. For more information, read OHIC's press release here. Join us for our Health Insurance Advisory meeting in Central Falls The Health Insurance Advisory Council's next quarterly public meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 17th at 4:30pm at the Central Falls Neighborhood Health Station, 1000 Broad St, Central Falls, RI. This meeting is an opportunity to voice your questions and concerns about Rhode Island health insurance.
Transcript of Copy of November Newsletter - Rhode Island 2019/Final November Newsletter.pdfCopy of November...
OHIC NEWSNOVEMBER 2019
The Rhode Island Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner
Rhode Island Recognized for PrimaryCare Investment and Innovation
Last month, OHIC Commissioner Marie Ganim was invited to Boston topresent on Rhode Island’s successful experience in investing in primary careat the Annual Health Care Cost Trends Hearing by the Massachusetts HealthPolicy Commission. Joined by Chris Koller, President of the Milbank MemorialFund and former Commissioner of OHIC, the two presented on RhodeIsland’s experience in primary care investment and creating policies thatstrengthen primary care in our state.
David Seltz, Executive Director of the Massachusetts Health Policy Commission, recognized Rhode Island as a national leader when itcomes to putting state policies in place that try to increase the proportion of our health care dollar going towards primary care.
In 2010, OHIC enacted the Affordability Standards. A key aspect of those regulations was a requirement for commercial insurers toincrease their spending on primary care, without raising premiums. Insurers were required to increase the percentage of their overallmedical spending dedicated to primary care by 1 percentage point per year for five years, resulting in an increase from 5.7 to 10.7percent in 2015.One possible sign that primary care investments in our state have been successful is the 2019 Commonwealth Fund report on StateHealth System Performance. Each year the Commonwealth Fund ranks each state on 47 measures of health care access, quality, andefficiency. This year, Rhode Island was ranked as the number one most improved state in the country, moving up nine ranks over otherstates since last year, and notably moving up 15 ranks in Prevention & Treatment and 10 ranks in Access and Affordability. These resultsare thanks to efforts from numerous organizations and agencies from across the state, and Commissioner Ganim credits part of thisimprovement to the state’s commitment to investing in primary care.
Going forward, OHIC plans to continue to support and invest in primary care through amendments to the Affordability Standards. Nextsteps include decreasing the administrative burden to help make the integration of behavioral health and primary care easier,encouraging the adoption of alternative payment models and continuing to move away from fee-for-service care.
Chris Koller, president of the Milbank Memorial Fund (left), Marie Ganim,OHIC Commissioner (right)
Buyer Beware: OHIC Warns of the Risks of Health Care Sharing MinistriesOHIC advises consumers to be aware of the risk associated with purchasing products from health care sharing ministries (HCSMs),such as Aliera. HCSMs are not health insurance, and they do not guarantee payment of claims. These companies are typicallyunregulated, unlicesned, and their products are often misleading to consumers. For more information, read OHIC's press release here.
Join us for our Health Insurance Advisory meeting in Central FallsThe Health Insurance Advisory Council's next quarterly public meeting will be held on Tuesday, December 17th at 4:30pm at the
Central Falls Neighborhood Health Station, 1000 Broad St, Central Falls, RI. This meeting is an opportunity to voice yourquestions and concerns about Rhode Island health insurance.
1511 PONTIAC AVENUE - BUILDING #69 - CRANSTON, RI 02920 PHONE: 401-462-9517
OHIC NEWS
Questions about your health insurance? Rhode Island Parent Information Network (RIPIN) offers
health insurance help to any Rhode Islander with any kindof health insurance. If you have a question, call RIPIN at
401-270-0101
Last year, after conducting a market conduct review focusing on mental health and substance use disorder coverage, theOffice of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) established a fund designed to support and address the behavioralhealth needs of Rhode Islanders across the state. The Behavioral Health Fund is administered by the Rhode Island Foundationand its initial funding came from a $5 million investment from Blue Cross & Blue Shield of Rhode Island. Grants from theBehavioral Health Fund went to projects and organizations that are implementing innovative, and sustainable models andstrategies to help Rhode Islanders prevent and address behavioral health needs before people are in crisis.
Behavioral Health Fund created by OHIC will fund community widechildhood trauma initiative
One of those innovative models was announced earlier this month in Coventry. A group of Coventry representatives andschool officials announced that the town will be taking part in a community-wide campaign to address childhood trauma. The$440,000 grant from the Behavioral Health Fund will support three years of training for Coventry adults who work directlywith children, beginning with school administrators, teachers, and other support staff, and then transitioning to all municipalemployees, youth leaders, and coaches.
The intent is to create a culture of resiliency, and to reduce incidences of bullying, substance abuse, and suicidal thoughts.During the announcement of the program, Coventry School Superintendent, Craig Levis, said the goal is to bring all agenciesof Coventry together to address the mental health of young people in the town and meet their needs before they are in crisis.
To enact the community-wide training, the Coventry school department is partnering with various organizations, includingFamily Services of Rhode Island. A clinical director from Family Services of Rhode Island, Kayla David, presented about howchildhood adversity contributes to many major chronic, social, and economic issues, and that she plans for the trainings tocreate a “shared language and understanding.”
Superintendent Levis plans to hold a summit at the end of the three years of training to share their results with the rest of thestate in hopes that Coventry can become a model for other communities addressing mental health and substance use.
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Beginning on November 1, HealthSource RI (HSRI) is entering its open enrollmentperiod. If you or someone you know needs health insurance you can sign up untilDecember 31. HSRI encourages all Rhode Islanders to sign up and pay for a plan byDecember 23 to make sure you avoid any gap in coverage. Once you have picked a planand paid your coverage will begin at the start of the year on January 1, 2020.
Health insurance is now required for all non-exempt Rhode Islanders. Qualifying healthcoverage includes coverage through your employer or purchased directly from a healthinsurance carrier, Medicare, Medicaid, or a health plan purchased through HealthSourceRI. To avoid paying a penalty when you file your taxes in 2021, make sure you sign upfor coverage. For more info about the mandate, view the HSRI website here.
Sign up for health coverage from HSRI through December 31
Website: healthsourceri.comPhone Number: 1-855-840-4774
