Rhode Island Individual and Family Health Insurance

Acquire Rhode Island health insurance plans from trusted providers throughout the state, including the metropolitan areas of Providence, Warwick, Cranston, Pawtucket, East Providence, Woonsocket, Coventry, Cumberland, North Providence, and West Warwick.

The State of Affairs of Rhode Island’s Health Insurance

Rhode Island spent about 6.7 billion dollars in 2004 on healthcare expenses.  The greatest costs were associated with physician and professional fees, as well as hospital costs.  Considering that Rhode Islanders face increasing healthcare costs rising at 7% annually, finding affordable health insurance coverage is a foremost priority. 

The Ocean State is considered home for 1.04 million residents.  29% of the population obtains Rhode Island health increase through Medicaid and/or Medicare coverage. Approximately 56% or 589,000 have small business health insurance plans provided by their work.  These individuals pay an average premium of $873 for individual health insurance and $2,387 for family health insurance plans.

These rates, with the country’s economic state, will soon become unaffordable. More people will opt out of employer-based insurance, and entrepreneurs will still struggle to find self employed health insurance.  Luckily, there are individual insurance plans that offer lower premiums, and InsureMonkey, as your health insurance agent, is here to help you find these Rhode Island insurance plans. 

Rhode Island Health Insurance Providers

Rhode Island’s High Risk Pool

The State of Rhode Island does not have a high-risk pool program for residents who cannot access health insurance coverage because of their preexisting health conditions. Rhode Island has several state-funded health plans, but none of them are specifically tasked to address the coverage needs of residents with preexisting medical conditions. As a result, Rhode Island health plans that do provide coverage will have high premiums.

There are, however, steps towards making healthcare more affordable.  To monitor updates about Rhode Island’s health insurance policies, visit the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner at http://www.ohic.ri.gov/. In the meantime, the state provides medical assistance to those who are not insured. These are:

•    Rhode Island Free Clinic at http://www.rifreeclinic.org/
•    Rhode Island Health Centers Association at http://www.rihca.org/
•    Crossroads Rhode Island at http://www.crossroadsri.org/

Rhode Island’s Uninsured

The Urban Institute and the Kaiser Commission conducted a 2006-2007 survey that totaled the uninsured population in Rhode Island at more than 101,000.  Approximately 16% of this number, or 16,000, are uninsured children.  The Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner also reported that the number of uninsured is rising alarmingly. By 2010, there might be an insurance crisis in this state, with one in five people being uninsured.

Most health insurance plans in Rhode Island are obtained through employers.  However, it has been observed that the percentage of employer-based coverage is decreasing. This might be due to the rising costs of health care and the increasing rate of unemployment. In the face of this daunting situation, the people of Rhode Island must still obtain health insurance coverage. This is why InsureMonkey exists.  We will help people find more affordable Rhode Island health plans.

Rhode Island SCHIP

RIte Care is Rhode Island’s health insurance program that is primarily funded by the SCHIP (State Children’s Health Insurance Plan). RIte Care is a Medicaid Managed Care Program that caters to children, as well as their families. Healthcare is provided through the three health plans:

1.    Neighborhood Health Plan of Rhode Island
2.    United Health Care of New England
3.    Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Rhode Island

One of the eligibility requirements of RIte Care is the income limit. The parents of the children, 19 years old and younger, must have a total household income of up to 250% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009. This translates to an annual income of $44,000 or less.

To obtain more information or to find out how to apply, please contact the Department of Human Resources (DHS) at 401-462-5300 or visit the local DHS office. Details about RIte Care can also be found at the website at http://www.dhs.state.ri.us/dhs/famchild/shcare.htm. Application forms can be downloaded from this website.

Medicaid in Rhode Island

In 2008, the government of the State of Rhode Island proposed a Consumer Choice Medicaid Reform Plan that will redesign the existing structure of Medicaid and allow the state government to better address the medical needs of its constituents despite the expected budget shortfall in 2009.

In January 2009, the Centers for Medicare and Medicare Services approved the Medicaid Global Waiver of the State of Rhode Island. As a result, three broad categories of services were created for the State’s health insurance programs. These are:

1.    Services for Children and Families
2.    Services for Adults
3.    Services for Elderly Rhode Islanders

Each category will receive medical services that are more comprehensive and beyond the regular Medicaid program. But there are still income eligibility requirements, as outlined below:

•    Children
      o    Infants Ages 0-1:  $44,000 or 250% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
      o    Children Ages 1-5:  $44,000 or 250% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
      o    Children Ages 6-19:  $44,000 or 250% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
•    Parents
      o    Non-Working:  $30,800 or 175% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
      o    Working:  $31,872 or 181% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009
•    Women
      o    Pregnant women: $44,000 or 250% of the Federal Poverty Level as of January 2009

To apply for benefits from Rhode Island’s Global Consumer Choice Compact Waiver, visit the nearest local office of the Department of Human Services. For information about the various medical and health care programs, contact the Division of Health Care Quality at 401-462-6311 or 401-462-1892.

For additional background information about Rhode Island’s Global Consumer Choice Compact Waiver or simply Global Waiver, find documents at the Department of Human Services (DHS), specifically at http://www.dhs.state.ri.us/dhs/whatnew/medicaid_reform_2009_Additional_Info.htm.

(Facts throughout this page provided by the Kaiser Family Foundation at www.statehealthfacts.org and by The New Health Insurance Solution at www.tnhis.com.  Commentary provided by InsureMonkey.)

State Resources

Department of Children, Youth and Families
Website: http://www.dcyf.state.ri.us/
Phone: (401) 528-3502

Department of Health
Website: http://www.health.state.ri.us/
Phone: 1-800-942-7434

Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner
Website: http://www.ohic.ri.gov/
Phone: (401) 462-9517