Advocates, Providers Praise Senate Passage of Bill to Safeguard Rhode Island’s Health Care System, Access to Essential Care

Health Care Provider Shield Act limits risk of hostile out-of-state laws related to abortion, transgender health care

Update: Senator Gu has now added her vote in support of SB2262, bringing the final vote count to 30-7.

Advocates for health care access, reproductive health care, and LGBTQ+ equality praised the Rhode Island Senate for passing the “Health Care Provider Shield Act,” (SB2262/HB7577) by a vote of 29 to 7. The bill will protect the state’s health care system, doctors, other medical care providers, and patients from hostile out-of-state laws that could negatively impact delivery of care.

Der von Senatorin Dawn Euer und Abgeordnetem John G. Edwards geförderte Health Care Provider Shield Act soll sicherstellen, dass Gesundheitsdienstleister in Rhode Island nicht durch die Gesetze anderer Bundesstaaten bestraft werden, die den Zugang zu etablierter, dem Standard entsprechender reproduktiver und Transgender-Gesundheitsversorgung verboten haben, und dass Patienten in Rhode Island weiterhin qualitativ hochwertige, legale und grundlegende medizinische Versorgung erhalten können.

“We’re grateful for the Senate’s prompt action in favor of this bill, which enables family doctors, OBGYNs, and other practitioners in Rhode Island to continue delivering high quality, essential care to our patients—including full-spectrum reproductive services and gender-affirming health care. This bill will protect our providers against actions from other states and allow us to deliver the standard of care and excellence that our patients deserve,.” sagte Dr. Heather A Smith, Präsidentin der RI Medical Society und Gynäkologin„Wir brauchen den Health Care Provider Shield Act, um sicherzustellen, dass Rhode Island ein Staat bleibt, in dem Ärzte gerne praktizieren, und damit Ärzte unseren Patienten weiterhin eine qualitativ hochwertige, mitfühlende und grundlegende Versorgung bieten können, wenn sie diese brauchen.“

As multiple states have passed bans on abortion and transgender health care in recent years, authorities in some states, such as Texas, have also sought to intimidate or otherwise punish physicians or facilities in other states who provide such essential care to their residents. At least a dozen other states and the District of Columbia have already passed health care shield laws to protect providers and patients and ensure their states remain desirable places to practice medicine. Four other New England states – Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maine, where Governor Mills signed a bill into law last month – have similar shield laws to protect providers and access to care. 

“This is a big step toward securing critically needed safeguards for Rhode Island’s health care system. We are grateful to both Sen. Euer and Representative Edwards for their leadership on this bill and thank the Senators who voted to support it today,” sagte Polly Crozier, Anwältin bei GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders. “Rhode Island has a strong public policy commitment to protecting access to health care, including reproductive and transgender health care. The Health Care Provider Shield Act protects Rhode Island providers and patients from unwarranted out-of-state intrusion into medical decision making and ensures clinicians can continue to practice in line with the professional standards of care.”

The Health Care Provider Shield Act is supported by state health care associations and providers, including the American Academy of Pediatrics, Rhode Island Chapter, American Association of Nurses- RI/Rhode Island State Nurses Association, American College of Emergency Medicine Physicians, American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, American College of Physicians, RI, National Association of Social Workers, Nurse Practitioner Alliance of RI, Primary Care-Population Medicine MD-MSc Program Class of 2024, Rhode Island Academy of Family Medicine Physicians, Rhode Island Council of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry, Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island Academy of Physicians Assistants, Spectrum, Hospital Association of Rhode Island, Open Door Health, Planned Parenthood of Southern NE, Thrive Behavioral Health, Thundermist Health Center, Rhode Island Health Center Association, and Wood River Health Services. 

Der Health Care Provider Shield Act wird:

  • Schützen Sie Gesundheitsdienstleister in Rhode Island vor missbräuchlichen zivil- oder strafrechtlichen Klagen aus anderen Staaten
  • Schützen Sie die Einwohner von Rhode Island davor, dass ihre Informationen über geschützte Gesundheitsversorgung an Strafverfolgungsbehörden in anderen Bundesstaaten weitergegeben werden, in denen diese Versorgung verboten ist
  • Stellen Sie sicher, dass Anbieter in Rhode Island nicht von Gesundheitseinrichtungen oder Versicherungen ungerechtfertigt bestraft werden, wenn sie gesetzlich geschützte Gesundheitsversorgung im Einklang mit den professionellen Standards der Versorgung anbieten.
  • Schützen Sie Gesundheitsdienstleister vor Überwachung, die ihre Fähigkeit zur Bereitstellung gesetzlich geschützter Gesundheitsleistungen beeinträchtigen könnte
  • Schützen Sie alle Anbieter, die in Rhode Island gesetzlich geschützte Transgender- und reproduktive Gesundheitsversorgung im Einklang mit den professionellen Standards der Versorgung anbieten, einschließlich der Versorgung per Telemedizin.
  • Stellen Sie sicher, dass die Ressourcen von Rhode Island nicht für weitere feindselige Rechtsstreitigkeiten mit Staaten verwendet werden, in denen eine grundlegende Gesundheitsversorgung verboten ist.

“This is a good day for patients and providers alike. Penalizing providers for delivering effective, best-practice medical care takes away patients’ ability to make informed decisions about their own and their children and families’ health,” said Jeanne LaChance, President/CEO, Thundermist Health Center. “Rhode Island has a long history of supporting transgender people’s freedom to live without discrimination, including in access to health care. We deeply appreciate the Senate’s vote to uphold that standard.”

“Today, the Senate underscored the significance of patient access to legal, standard-of-care transgender and reproductive health care, as well as the protection of providers delivering these essential services in Rhode Island,” stated Vimala Phongsavanh, Senior Director of External Affairs at Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “With more states nationwide moving to ban abortion and transgender health care, patients and providers continue to face heightened health and legal risks. We are grateful for Senator Euer’s leadership and look forward to working with Representative Edwards to pass the Health Care Provider Shield Act in the House.”

“I’m thankful to my colleagues who voted for this important legislation. 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,” sagte der Vorsitzende des Justizsenats EuerPolitiker in mehreren US-Bundesstaaten betreiben alarmierende Übergriffe, indem sie den Zugang zu lebenswichtiger medizinischer Versorgung verbieten und zivil- und strafrechtliche Sanktionen gegen Leistungserbringer verhängen, die ärztliche Leistungen gemäß den professionellen Standards erbringen. Dieses Gesetz stellt sicher, dass diese Gesetze anderer Bundesstaaten nicht gegen Gesundheitsdienstleister in Rhode Island eingesetzt werden.

Entscheidungen über die medizinische Grundversorgung sollten von Patienten, ihren Angehörigen und ihren vertrauenswürdigen Leistungserbringern getroffen werden, nicht von Politikern. Es ist wichtig, dass Rhode Island Maßnahmen ergreift, um den Zugang zu legaler, standardisierter Gesundheitsversorgung für alle Bedürftigen und die Leistungserbringer, die diese Versorgung erbringen, zu schützen. sagte Abgeordneter Edwards. “I look forward to working with my colleagues in the House to quickly pass the Health Care Provider Shield Act.” 

The Health Care Provider Shield Act is also supported by a coalition of organizations including the ACLU of Rhode Island, Amnesty International USA, Center for Reproductive Rights, COYOTE, East Bay Community Action Program Rhode Island, GLBTQ Legal Advocates & Defenders (GLAD), House of Codec, Protect Our Health Care RI, PPRI Votes, Pride in Aging, RI Coalition Against Domestic Violence, RI Commission on Human Rights, RI Coalition for Reproductive Freedom, RI Public Health Institute, RI State Council of Churches, The Trevor Project, The Womxn Project, TGI Network, and Youth Pride Inc.

Learn more about the bill