CARCIERI ANNOUNCES AGENDA FOR HEALTH CARE REFORM FOR RHODE ISLAND

10-03-2005

Saying that affordable health care should be within the reach for all Rhode Islanders, Governor Donald L. Carcieri today laid out a series of five initiatives to improve the state’s system of care.

Governor Carcieri’s health care agenda addresses the issues that have caused health care costs to rise at three times more than the rate of inflation and four times faster than wages. The initiatives include: wellness, a balanced health care delivery system, access to health information technology, affordable small business insurance, and smart public sector purchasing.

“We need a common vision for our health care system—a system that focuses on health care as well as sick care, and that engages all Rhode Islanders,” Governor Carcieri said. “This system must put patients, not providers, at the center. This ideal drives my health care agenda.”

Governor Carcieri was joined by Health Insurance Commissioner Christopher Koller as well as other agency directors who are charged with developing the strategies to move the initiatives forward. Carcieri said that the directors were working closely with a range of interests, including other state agencies, doctors, hospitals, insurers, advocacy organizations, and the business community to develop the strategies that will lead to more affordable and better quality care for all Rhode Islanders.

“They have my support and direction to collaborate with each other and with stakeholders and to lead where appropriate,” Governor Carcieri said. “They will be leading the charge in bringing about health care reform in Rhode Island.”

Governor Carcieri spoke at Atlantic Paper & Twine Company in Pawtucket, a small manufacturing and supply company with 12 employees. The company’s owners, Lisa and David Spencer, spoke about their struggle in providing health insurance for their employees as premiums continue to skyrocket.

“Small business has been hard hit by the dramatic increase in health insurance premiums,” Governor Carcieri said. “Only 50 percent of private employers with less than 10 employees offer health insurance, and 94 percent of Rhode Island employers are small businesses, employing 35 percent of our workforce.”

“These companies pay more for health insurance and get fewer health benefits. That’s why we must make health insurance more affordable for small business. We intend to do that,” Governor Carcieri said.

The Governor’s five initiatives, including the goals of each, are:

• Wellness
  • By 2010, achieving the first “Well State” designation in the country by the Wellness Councils of America and cutting in half the number of Rhode Islanders with unhealthy and unsafe habits.
• Balanced Health Care Delivery System
  • By 2010, having a health care system with more emphasis on primary care and a balanced deployment of hospital-based and specialty care resources.
• Anywhere, Anytime Health Information
  • By 2010, the majority of Rhode Islanders will have health information accessible electronically.
• Affordable Small Business Insurance
  • By 2010, the number of small business employees enrolled in employer-sponsored health insurance will be increased by 10,000, or 15 percent.
• Smart Public Sector Purchasing
  • By 2010, we will reduce the rate of growth of the State’s medical expenses by two percentage points, improve health plan performance, and use our contracts to drive changes in the health care delivery system.