Medicaid Managed Care Organization (MCO) Audit and De-Privatization Bills

Two legislative initiatives are making their way through the Rhode Island State Legislature right now.

• H. 6046 (Rep. Brianna Henries) and S. 0049 (Sen. Sam Bell) - Resolution requesting an audit of Medicaid Managed Care Organizations (MCOs)

• H. 5449 (Rep. Michelle McGaw) and S. 379 (Sen. Tiara Mack) - Bill requiring MCO Audit/De-privatization of RI Medicaid

It's too late to sign up for verbal testimony, but you can still submit written testimony up until 2pm for S. 379, which has a hearing today, Thursday, April 1 at 5pm.

These bills seek to audit and remove private insurance company middlemen MCOs who currently "manage" coverage for about 90% of RI Medicaid patients.

1 in 4 Rhode Islanders are covered by Medicaid, so that's about 280,000 people!

Connecticut booted their MCOs and went to a "single payer" state-run program. This saved hundreds of millions of dollars and patients got better services.

For more information about these legislative initatiaves, you can read supporting research here.

Follow our social media on Twitter and Facebook, and see our blog and email communications for more updates as these bills make their way through the RI State Legislature.