Requires healthcare insurers, without prior authorization, to provide post-acute care services to patients discharged from a hospital for a minimum of seven (7) days commencing on or after January 1, 2027.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require health insurance companies in Rhode Island to cover certain follow-up care after a hospital stay — without making patients or doctors ask for special permission first. Specifically, starting January 1, 2027, insurers would have to automatically provide at least seven days of "post-acute care" to patients who are discharged from a hospital. Post-acute care includes services like short-term stays in rehabilitation or skilled nursing facilities, home health visits, and similar recovery-focused care that patients often need after leaving the hospital.

Currently, many insurance plans require what's called "prior authorization" before they will cover post-acute care — meaning a doctor or hospital must submit a request and wait for the insurance company to approve it before care begins. This process can cause delays, sometimes leaving recently discharged patients without the support they need right away. This bill would eliminate that waiting period for the first seven days of post-acute care.

The bill would affect Rhode Island residents with private health insurance as well as the providers and facilities that deliver post-acute care services. Patients recovering from surgery, serious illness, or injury would likely feel the most direct impact, as they would have faster access to follow-up care. Insurance companies operating in Rhode Island would need to adjust their coverage processes to comply with this requirement by the start of 2027.

The bill has been introduced in the Rhode Island House and referred to the House Health & Human Services Committee, where it is scheduled for a hearing. It has not yet been voted on or signed into law.