“It’s a good news day,” Governor Gina Raimondo said, citing the successful reopening of phase 2 businesses particularly childcare centers. The Department of Health reported 100 new cases and 14 deaths, meanwhile state case numbers and hospitalizations continue to decline.
The governor used the majority of her press briefing to outline long term goals regarding healthcare inequities and efficient use of funds. “The reality of the COVID crisis has taken an unbelievable toll on our healthcare system at a time when people need healthcare more than ever,” Raimondo said. Broadly, the governor says she hopes to move healthcare away from the expensive institutional setting and into more community integrated systems.
Childhood immunizations have dropped by more than 35%. “I am very concerned,” Raimondo said. “Next winter that could potentially result in devastating healthcare issues.” The governor strongly urged parents to resume scheduling child health visits.
Raimondo announced that struggling pediatric care centers are eligible for additional COVID relief funding. “Our pediatricians are hurting and we need to be there for them. We need a strong system of care in our community,” she said.
Raimondo also extended an executive order last week that allows insurance coverage for telehealth. Originally a temporary measure, “it has turned out that it’s a great thing to do,” Raimondo said. “It allows us to equalize health care and get health care to everybody. You can imagine how this is helping people for whom it is difficult to get to the doctor.” In coming months, Raimondo plans to implement telehealth as a permanent service by statute.
Raimondo extended another executive order that raises the wages of workers in nursing homes. She will work with a federal delegation to permanently raise the wages of frontline healthcare workers.
