Rhode Island: Bill Will Guard Access To Health Care
therainbowtimesmass.comNew Bill Will Safeguard Rhode Island’s Health Care System; Protect Access to Essential Care; Limit the Risk Hostile Out-of-State Laws Pose to Health Care Providers and Patients in the Ocean State; 11 Other Stated + DC Have Enacted Similar LawsRHODE ISLAND–Rhode Island legislators recently introduced the “Health Care Provider Shield Act,” (SB2262/HB7577) to protect Rhode Island’s health care system, doctors and other medical care providers, and patients from hostile out-of-state laws that could negatively impact the delivery of care in the Ocean State.Sponsored by Senator Dawn Euer and Representative John G.
Edwards, the Health Care Provider Shield Act will ensure that Rhode Island healthcare providers aren’t penalized under the laws of other states that have banned access to established, standard-of-care reproductive and transgender health care and that patients can continue to receive quality, legal, essential medical care in Rhode Island.“The Health Care Provider Shield Act is about protecting established, best-practice medical care that is legal in Rhode Island and ensuring that our local providers and our health care infrastructure aren’t negatively impacted by hostile laws in other states,” said Senate Judiciary Chair Euer. “Politicians in multiple U.S.
states are engaging in alarming government overreach, banning access to essential medical care and instituting civil and criminal penalties on providers for practicing medicine in line with the professional standards of care.
This bill will ensure that these out-of-state laws aren’t used against health care providers in Rhode Island.”Rep. Edwards emphasized the importance of the bill and what it does to communities that need it.“Decisions about essential health care should be made by patients, their families, and their trusted care providers, not politicians.
