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SB 3191

AN ACT RELATING TO COURTS AND CIVIL PROCEDURE--PROCEDURE GENERALLY -- EVIDENCE

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Jake Bissaillon and 5 co-sponsors

Defines the fair and reasonable charge as the provider’s billed amount for medical services, excluding insurer payments as evidence.

04/16/2026 Committee recommended measure be held for further study
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Bill Summary · SB 3191

Summary of Bill SB 3191 (Rhode Island, 2026)

Overview

  • Bill Name: An Act Relating to Courts and Civil Procedure—Evidence
  • Bill Number: SB 3191
  • Session: 2026
  • Jurisdiction: Rhode Island
  • Introduced: April 3, 2026
  • Sponsor(s): Famiglietti, McKenney, Patalano, LaMountain, Dimitri, Bissaillon (co-sponsors: LaMountain, McKenney, Dimitri, Patalano, Famiglietti, Bissaillon)
  • Committee: Senate Judiciary
  • Status (as of last action): Recommended to be held for further study (April 16, 2026)

Purpose and Intent

The bill amends Rhode Island’s evidence law to address the admissibility and identification of medical and healthcare charges in civil actions. Its core aim is to define a standardized measure for “fair and reasonable charge” for medical and healthcare services in civil cases, replacing reliance on amounts paid by insurers or other programs as evidence of the charged amount.

Key Provisions

  1. New Section 9-19-45 – Fair and Reasonable Charge

    • Applies to all civil actions pending or arising in any court, agency, arbitration forum, or other tribunal.
    • Scope covers actions based on injury, wrongful death, and includes medical, dental, or professional malpractice claims.
    • Definition of fair and reasonable charge: The charge is the amount billed by the licensed healthcare provider for medical, hospital, therapeutic, and other healthcare services.

  2. Immunity of insurer payments as evidence

    • Any payments made by:
      • Health, accident, or disability insurers
      • State or federal health insurance or disability programs
      • Medical payments or personal injury protection insurance
      • Workers’ compensation benefits
    • And the acceptance of those payments by the provider in full satisfaction of the billed amount
    • Shall be inadmissible as evidence of the fair and reasonable charge for the services rendered.
    • This means that the actual billed amount, not the negotiated or paid amount, would determine the “fair and reasonable charge” for purposes of the case, if enacted.

Who/What is Affected

  • Parties to civil actions involving injuries, wrongful death, or malpractice claims in Rhode Island courts and other tribunals.
  • Licensed healthcare providers who bill for medical services.
  • Insurance payors (private insurers, state/federal programs, medical payments/PI pathways, workers’ compensation) whose payments would no longer be admissible as evidence of the charged amount.
  • The ruling could influence settlements, damages calculations, and jury or judge determinations of medical-related damages.

Procedural and Timeline Aspects

  • Effective Date: The act would take effect upon passage (no delay or sunset; immediate upon enactment if signed).
  • Process to Enactment: Introduced in the Senate, referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee, with a committee recommendation to hold for further study (April 16, 2026). This indicates the bill is not yet enacted and may undergo revisions.

Potential Impacts and Considerations

  • Damage Caps/Calculations: By tying the fair charge to the billed amount rather than insurer-paid amounts, plaintiffs could seek higher compensatory damages based on billed rates, while defendants may face higher exposure in some cases.
  • Access to Evidence: Insurer payment data would be excluded as evidence for the billed amount, potentially affecting discovery and the evidentiary landscape in civil cases.
  • Practice Implications: Hospitals, clinics, and providers may need to ensure accuracy of billed amounts and documentation, given the billed amount would set the “fair and reasonable charge” in trials.
  • Policy Considerations: The bill aims to address variability in how “charges” are calculated and perceived in legal settings, potentially aligning civil damages with billed amounts rather than negotiated or paid sums.

If you’d like, I can compare SB 3191 to existing Rhode Island evidence provisions or summarize potential fiscal or legal policy implications in more detail.

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

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