Provides that the EOHHS, through Emergency Medicaid, cover dialysis for the treatment of end stage renal disease ("ESRD") and kidney transplants for RI residents who do not qualify for full Medicaid under federal law due to their immigration status.

Plain-English Summary

This bill would require Rhode Island's Executive Office of Health and Human Services (EOHHS) to use Emergency Medicaid funding to cover two specific medical treatments — dialysis for end-stage renal disease (ESRD) and kidney transplants — for Rhode Island residents who cannot qualify for full Medicaid benefits because of their immigration status. End-stage renal disease is a serious condition where the kidneys stop working, and dialysis is a life-sustaining treatment that filters a patient's blood when the kidneys can no longer do so on their own.

Currently, federal law limits full Medicaid coverage to people who meet certain immigration status requirements, such as being a U.S. citizen or a qualified legal resident. However, Emergency Medicaid — a separate federal program — does allow states to provide limited coverage for emergency medical situations to people regardless of immigration status. This bill would specifically direct Rhode Island to use that Emergency Medicaid pathway to ensure that residents with ESRD can receive ongoing dialysis and, when eligible, kidney transplants, even if they do not meet federal immigration requirements for full Medicaid.

The people most directly affected by this bill are Rhode Island residents — often immigrants without qualifying immigration status — who suffer from kidney failure and currently may struggle to access consistent, life-sustaining treatment. Hospitals, dialysis centers, and the state's Medicaid budget would also be affected. The bill was recently introduced and referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee, where it is scheduled for a hearing.