Rhode Island is doing something right on health care. Here’s how the state can do even more.
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Rhode Island has received $156 million in federal funding to improve its healthcare system, which will be used to implement structural reforms. The reforms include allowing pharmacists and dental hygienists to practice at the top of their training, and narrowing the scope of Certificate of Need laws to reduce healthcare costs.
Rhode Island has received $156 million in federal funding to improve its healthcare system. The state plans to use this funding to implement structural reforms. One reform allows pharmacists to independently prescribe for certain conditions, such as hypertension and diabetes. This change will increase access to care, especially for those who cannot easily get a primary care appointment. Another reform will enable dental hygienists to prescribe fluoride supplements and topical antimicrobials without needing a dentist's approval. The state will also narrow the scope of Certificate of Need laws, which currently allow dominant hospital systems to block lower-cost competitors from opening nearby. This will help reduce healthcare costs for Rhode Islanders.
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