Provides that services provided by graduate student interns who work under a supervisory protocol would be eligible to be paid from Medicaid reimbursement.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would allow Rhode Island's Medicaid program to pay for certain health or human services provided by graduate student interns, as long as those students are working under proper supervision. Currently, Medicaid reimbursement is generally limited to licensed professionals, which can leave out students who are still completing their training. This change would make it possible for supervising organizations — such as hospitals, clinics, or social service agencies — to receive Medicaid funding for the work their supervised interns perform.

The bill would affect several groups: graduate students in fields like social work, counseling, psychology, or other health-related programs who complete internships as part of their education; the clinics, nonprofits, and healthcare organizations that host these interns; and most importantly, Medicaid recipients who receive services from these interns. For low-income patients and clients who rely on Medicaid, this could mean greater access to care, since more providers could afford to offer services if they can be reimbursed for intern-provided work.

A key condition in the bill is that interns must operate under a formal supervisory protocol, meaning a qualified, licensed professional must oversee their work. This requirement is designed to ensure that the quality and safety of care remains consistent, even when a student rather than a fully licensed provider is delivering the service. The bill has been introduced and referred to the House Finance Committee, where lawmakers will review its potential costs and benefits before deciding whether to move it forward.