| Children's Health in the FY 2011 Budget |
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The $7.86 billion Rhode Island FY 2011 budget contains several key provisions related to the RIte Care health insurance program and access to health care for children and families, including:
- RIte Care health plan contracts are being re-procured this summer.
- RIte Care premium increases were prevented.
- Hospital payment changes were enacted.
- Private insurance companies will pay more toward certain children's health services.
For more information on these and other health related changes in the budget, read Rhode Island KIDS COUNT's one-page fact sheet. Also, watch for the release of our 2010 Legislative Wrap-Up later this month for a full overview of the legislative session. |
| Resources for Enrolling Kids in RIte Care |
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On May 13, Rhode Island KIDS COUNT and the Poverty Institute co-sponsored Health Coverage for Immigrant Children: A Workshop on Recent Changes to RIte Care Eligibility, a workshop for 200 representatives of community organizations. We provided information on categories of lawfully residing immigrant children who are now eligible for RIte Care as well as helpful tips for enrolling children and families. All materials from the event are available online and can be downloaded for use with clients or to share with staff who work with families. Click here to access the workshop materials. |
| States Come Out Ahead in Health Care Reform |
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A new Kaiser Commission on Medicaid and the Uninsured study shows that states will receive additional Medicaid dollars as result of the Medicaid expansion included in national health care reform. The federal government will cover at least 93% of new spending through 2019 in every state. Estimates for Rhode Island show that reducing the number of low-income uninsured adults by at least half will require only a 1% increase in state spending. |
