New Bill Will Safeguard Rhode Island’s Health Care System and Protect Access to Essential Care

Health Care Provider Shield Act limits the risk hostile out-of-state laws pose to health care providers and patients in the Ocean State; 11 other states + D.C. have enacted similar laws

Today, Rhode Island legislators 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 delivery of care in the Ocean State.

Patrocinado pela senadora Dawn Euer e pelo representante John G. Edwards, o Health Care Provider Shield Act garantirá que os provedores de serviços de saúde de Rhode Island não sejam penalizados pelas leis de outros estados que proibiram o acesso a serviços de saúde reprodutiva e transgênero estabelecidos e padronizados, e que os pacientes possam continuar a receber cuidados médicos essenciais, legais e de qualidade em 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,” disse o presidente do Judiciário do Senado, Euer. “Políticos em vários estados dos EUA estão se envolvendo em alarmantes excessos governamentais, proibindo o acesso a cuidados médicos essenciais e instituindo sanções civis e criminais a profissionais que exercem a medicina em conformidade com os padrões profissionais de assistência. Este projeto de lei garantirá que essas leis de outros estados não sejam usadas contra profissionais de saúde em Rhode Island.”

“As decisões sobre cuidados essenciais de saúde devem ser tomadas pelos pacientes, suas famílias e seus prestadores de cuidados de confiança, não por políticos. É fundamental que Rhode Island tome medidas para proteger o acesso a cuidados de saúde legais e de padrão para todos que precisam, juntamente com os prestadores que prestam esses cuidados.” disse o Representante Edwards. “The Health Care Provider Shield Act will ensure that Rhode Island providers can continue to deliver high quality, medically necessary care to their patients.” 

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. Eleven other states – including Massachusetts and Connecticut – 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.

“Family doctors, OBGYNs, and other practitioners want to be able to deliver high quality, essential care for our patients. Here in Rhode Island, we are able to provide the care that Rhode Islanders need, 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 continue to deliver the standard of care and excellence that our patients deserve.” disse a Dra. Heather A Smith, presidente da Sociedade Médica de RI e obstetra. “Precisamos da Lei de Proteção ao Provedor de Saúde para garantir que Rhode Island continue sendo um estado onde os médicos queiram exercer a profissão e para que eles possam continuar a fornecer aos nossos pacientes cuidados essenciais, compassivos e de qualidade quando precisarem.”

The bill is supported by state health care associations and providers including the Rhode Island Medical Society, Rhode Island Academy of Family Physicians, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the Rhode Island Health Center Association, Open Door Health, Thundermist Health Center, Planned Parenthood of Southern New England, Inc., RI National Association of Social Workers, and the Rhode Island Public Health Institute.

A Lei de Proteção ao Provedor de Serviços de Saúde irá:

  • Proteger os prestadores de cuidados de saúde de Rhode Island de litígios civis ou criminais abusivos de outros estados
  • Proteger os habitantes de Rhode Island de terem as suas informações sobre cuidados de saúde protegidos partilhadas com agências de aplicação da lei em outros estados onde tais cuidados são proibidos
  • Garantir que os prestadores de serviços de Rhode Island não sejam penalizados injustamente por instituições de saúde ou seguros por fornecerem cuidados de saúde legalmente protegidos, consistentes com os padrões profissionais de atendimento.
  • Proteger os prestadores de cuidados de saúde da vigilância que poderia ter um impacto negativo na sua capacidade de prestar cuidados protegidos por lei
  • Proteger todos os provedores envolvidos na prestação de cuidados de saúde transgêneros e reprodutivos legalmente protegidos em Rhode Island, de acordo com os padrões profissionais de atendimento, incluindo atendimento via telemedicina.
  • Garantir que os recursos de Rhode Island não sejam usados para promover litígios hostis de estados onde os cuidados de saúde essenciais são proibidos

“The Health Care Provider Shield Act provides critically needed safeguards for Rhode Island’s health care system,” disse Polly Crozier, advogada da 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 bill 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.”

“Penalizing providers for delivering effective, best-practice medical care hurts patients and providers, and takes away people’s 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 appreciate Sen. Euer and, Rep. Edwards’ introduction of the Health Care Provider Shield Act to make it clear that access to essential medical care for transgender people as well as reproductive health care are legal rights in Rhode Island, and to protect Rhode Island’s health care system, providers, and those seeking essential medical care.”

“As more states across the country move to ban abortion and transgender health care, there is no doubt that patients and health care professionals are subject to increased health and legal risks when getting and providing health care. The introduction of the Health Care Provider Shield Act makes it clear that our state leaders are prioritizing patient access to legal, standard-of-care transgender and reproductive medical care and protecting those who provide this essential health care,” said Vimala Phongsavanh, Senior Director, External Affairs for Planned Parenthood of Southern New England. “We look forward to working with Senator Euer and Representative Edwards to pass this critical legislation to protect essential health care for all Rhode Islanders.” 

The Health Care Provider Shield Act is supported by a coalition of organizations:

Provider Groups:

  • 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

Health Care Delivery:

  • Hospital Association of Rhode Island
  • Open Door Health
  • Planned Parenthood of Southern NE
  • Thundermist Health Center
  • Rhode Island Health Center Association

Other Interested Parties:

  • ACLU
  • Center for Reproductive Rights
  • COYOTE
  • ALEGRE
  • 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 
  • The Womxn Project
  • TGI Network
  • Youth Pride Inc

Learn more about the Health Care Provider Shield Act