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1993.11.04 : Approval of Rhode Island Demonstration Project

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
Contact: Anne Verano 
Thursday, Nov. 4, 1993 
(202) 690-6145

     HHS Secretary Donna E. Shalala has announced approval of
Rhode Island's state demonstration project, RIte Care, which will
increase access to health care coverage for the Medicaid and
uninsured populations.
     "The federal government intends to work actively with the
states as they experiment with systems to better deliver quality
care to the people who need it most," said Secretary Shalala.
     Rhode Island's project, RIte Care, is a statewide initiative
to increase access to primary and preventive health care services
for all Aid to Families with Dependent Children recipients and
uninsured pregnant women and children.
     Bruce C. Vladeck, administrator of the Health Care Financing
Administration, stated, "The administration is committed to
providing flexibility to the states to encourage them to design
health care systems to improve care for the poor and uninsured."
     Individuals who are eligible for the RIte Care program will 
be required to enroll in prepaid health care plans under contract 
with the state to provide comprehensive health services to 
participants.
     The health plans will be required to offer participants a
package of enhanced services, including outreach activities, to
assist in overcoming the non-financial barriers to  care.  Home
visits, nutrition counseling, child birth education, parenting
skills education and smoking cessation classes will also be
offered.  Eligibility for some enhanced services will be based
upon a set of "at risk" assessment criteria to be developed by
the state.
     Approximately 65,000 AFDC recipients will be enrolled in the
Rhode Island RIte Care project, which is scheduled to be
implemented on April 1, 1994.  Additionally, 10,000 pregnant
women and children under age 6 with family incomes up to 250
percent of the federal poverty level will be enrolled in the
program.
     The RIte Care project includes a cost sharing component. 
Individuals with family incomes between 185 and 250 percent of
the federal poverty level will be able to choose between a fixed
monthly premium or copayments imposed at the point of service. 
Individuals with family incomes below 185 percent of the federal
poverty level are responsible for a $5 copayment for the
unauthorized nonemergency use of hospital emergency rooms or
emergency transportation services.
     HCFA is the federal agency which administers the Medicaid 
and Medicare programs.