Allows primary care practices to offer optional fees for non-covered services while requiring equal medical care for all patients and protecting access to medically necessary services regardless of ability to pay.

Plain-English Summary: RI Equitable Access Primary Care Practices Act

This bill would allow primary care doctors and medical practices in Rhode Island to charge optional fees for certain services that aren't covered by health insurance. These might include things like extended appointment times, enhanced communication with doctors, or other add-on services beyond standard medical care. Patients could choose whether or not to pay for these extras, but they would never be required to do so.

The most important protection built into this bill is that doctors must provide the same quality of medical care to all patients, regardless of whether they pay any optional fees. If a patient cannot afford or chooses not to pay for these extras, their doctor still cannot treat them differently or provide lesser care. Additionally, the bill specifically protects access to medically necessary services — meaning that if someone needs care for a genuine health issue, they cannot be denied that care simply because they can't afford optional fees.

This bill would affect primary care patients across Rhode Island, as well as doctors and medical practices who might want to offer tiered service options. Patients with more financial resources could opt into premium add-on services, while lower-income patients would be legally protected from receiving worse medical care as a result. The bill is currently in early stages, having been introduced and sent to the House Corporations Committee for review.