SENATE RESOLUTION CREATING A SPECIAL LEGISLATIVE COMMISSION TO MAKE A COMPREHENSIVE STUDY OF RHODE ISLAND'S MEDICAL MALPRACTICE IMPACT ON HEALTH CARE PROVIDERS AND HEALTH CARE COSTS IN RHODE ISLAND (Creates commission to study medical malpractice issues relating to lawsuits, claims, settlements, filings and related impact on insurance costs for providers with report due 10/1/27 and expiration on 1/31/28.)

Plain-English Summary

This Rhode Island Senate Resolution would create a special study commission to take a closer look at how medical malpractice — when patients sue doctors or other healthcare providers for mistakes or negligence — affects the state's healthcare system. The commission would examine lawsuits, claims, settlements, and legal filings related to medical malpractice, as well as how these cases influence the cost of malpractice insurance that doctors and hospitals are required to carry. The goal is to gather detailed information before any potential policy changes are considered.

The commission would affect a wide range of people involved in Rhode Island's healthcare system, including doctors, nurses, hospitals, insurance companies, and patients. Healthcare providers are often concerned that high malpractice insurance costs make it more expensive to practice medicine, which can drive up overall healthcare costs or lead some providers to leave the state. The commission would study these real-world impacts and gather data to better understand the full picture.

The commission is expected to complete its work and deliver a final report to the Rhode Island legislature by October 1, 2027. The commission itself would officially end on January 31, 2028. Currently, the bill has been referred to the Senate Health and Human Services Committee and has been held for further study, meaning it has not yet been passed or signed into law. This resolution would not change any existing laws on its own — it simply creates a group to study the issue and report back with findings.