Here’s what’s happening in health in Rhode Island:

  • BENEFITS/UHIP: State lawmakers grilled staff from the Departments of Human Services and Administration about what they deemed the “botched” rollout of a new state benefits system on Thurs., Oct. 20. The system, known as UHIP, replaces dozens of decades-old computer systems that determine eligibility for programs like food stamps and enroll people in those programs. It was a complex, expensive undertaking by anyone’s standards: transfer millions of data points from old systems, make the new system talk to the federal databases it needs to determine eligibility for enrollment in programs, and  create a single online portal for clients to access it. But communications between DHS and the federal government show early pilots of the program were not very successful. And the feds warned DHS not to go live as early as they did, in mid-September. The result has been long wait times for help at DHS field offices, and a big backlog of new applications (about 8000 as of Tuesday, Oct. 25), overpayments to some clients, and missed payments to some vendors (although UHIP administrators say payments to child care providers are going out tomorrow, Weds., Oct. 26).
  • HOSPITALS: The Hospital Association of Rhode Island says rate caps are hurting hospitals’ bottom lines: “This cap has limited hospitals’ ability to recoup shortfalls from caring for Medicare, Medicaid and charity care patients. The inability to recover these losses leaves hospitals without the funds needed to invest in their workforce, technology and efforts to transform the health care system.”

     

  • LANDMARK HOSPITAL: Landmark Hospital CEO, Richard Charest, will be retiring. In statement, Charest said: “It is with a profound sense of accomplishment that I am announcing my retirement after over 40 years at both Landmark Medical Center and the Rehabilitation Hospital of Rhode Island. It is now time for me to begin the next chapter of my life.” Charest presided when Landmark was acquired by Prime Healthcare a few years ago. The hospital had been losing money. The acquisition was controversial as many feared a for-profit owner would reduce hospital services.
  • OBAMACARE: Premium rates are going up on average double digits for health insurance plans bought on federal Obamacare exchanges. But remember, Rhode Island built its own exchange, HealthSource RI, and rates are set by the state Insurance Commissioner. Generally, rates for plans bought on HealthSource that go into effect in 2017 are going up by single digits. Also remember: when rates go up, subsidies go up, so customers who get help paying their premiums should be shielded from these increases. Open enrollment begins Nov. 1. It will be another test for the new UHIP system (see above), to which HealthSource RI is connected.

     

  • HOPE HOSPICE: Hope Hospice & Palliative Care Rhode Island is celebrating its 40th anniversary. The organization was founded in 1976 by volunteer health care professionals and community members. Today, it’s a teaching affiliate for hospice and palliative medicine of the Warren Alpert Medical School of Brown University and recently expanded into Massachusetts through an affiliation with HopeHealth in Massachusetts. That makes it the largest non-profit hospice and palliative care organization in New England.