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SB 2879

AN ACT RELATING TO BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONS -- THE PRIMARY CARE PRESERVATION ACT

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Frank Ciccone and 4 co-sponsors

The act allows Rhode Island physician practices to charge patients reasonable administrative fees for non-clinical services, barring payor restrictions and requiring upfront disclo

05/05/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 2879

Summary of SB 2879 (Rhode Island) – The Primary Care Preservation Act

Date Introduced: March 4, 2026
Status: Referred to Senate Health & Human Services; scheduled for hearing/consideration (as of May 1, 2026)

Purpose and intent

The Primary Care Preservation Act aims to protect physician practices in Rhode Island from payor-imposed restrictions on charging patients reasonable administrative or operational fees. The goal is to preserve the ability of physician practices to cover non-clinical costs necessary to operate (e.g., reception, scheduling, care coordination, referral management, and record handling) by allowing these fees to be charged directly to patients, rather than being restricted by health insurers or other payors.

Key provisions

1) Short title

  • Establishes the act as “The Primary Care Preservation Act.”

2) Definitions

  • “Administrative or operational fee”: A reasonable charge to patients for non-clinical services necessary to support practice operations (e.g., reception, scheduling, care coordination, communication systems, record handling, etc.).
  • “Payor”: Any insurer, health maintenance organization (HMO), or other entity responsible for payment of healthcare services under a health plan.
  • “Physician practice”: A medical practice owned or operated by one or more licensed physicians providing outpatient care in Rhode Island.

3) Payor contract restrictions prohibited

  • Prohibits payors from including contract provisions that prevent or penalize a physician practice from charging patients an administrative or operational fee.
  • Prohibits payors from imposing conditions or sanctions on a practice for charging such fees, as long as the fees are disclosed to patients in advance and are not billed to the payor.
  • Clarifies that the act does not require payors to reimburse the practice or patients for these fees.

4) Patient access and continuity of care

  • Emergency and urgent care obligations remain unaffected; practices must still provide care regardless of whether such fees are paid.
  • Practices must provide reasonable notice and access to patient medical records, in line with state and federal law.

5) Enforcement

  • Any payor contract provision that violates the act is null and void and unenforceable as public policy.

6) Severability

  • If any part of the act is found invalid by a court, the remainder remains in effect.

Who/what would be affected

  • Affected parties: Payors (including insurers and HMOs) and physician practices in Rhode Island that bill patients for administrative or operational services.
  • Impact on patients: Potentially clearer disclosure of fees and continued access to care, especially in emergency situations. Patients would be charged directly by practices for reasonable non-clinical services, subject to disclosure.
  • Impact on payors: Prohibits contractual restrictions that would bar practices from charging these fees; payors would no longer be able to penalize practices for such charges.

Procedural and timeline considerations

  • Effective date: Upon passage (immediate effect if enacted/signed).
  • Ongoing process: The bill was scheduled for a hearing/consideration in May 2026; subject to legislative action (amendments, approval, and potential enactment).

Notes for readers

  • The act focuses on preserving the financial viability of primary care practices by allowing reasonable non-clinical fees charged to patients, addressing concerns that payor contracts may impede practice operations.
  • It emphasizes transparency (advance disclosure to patients) and maintains patient access to urgent/emergency care and records.

If you’d like, I can provide a side-by-side comparison with similar statutes in other states or draft potential impact scenarios for small vs. large practices.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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