RELATING TO INSURANCE -- ACCIDENT AND SICKNESS INSURANCE POLICIES
S2381 would require most individual and group health insurance policies in Rhode Island, including policies issued by nonprofit hospital service corporations, nonprofit medical service corporations, and health maintenance organizations, to cover services provided by licensed certified professional midwives (CPMs). The bill defines a CPM as a midwife who has completed an accredited midwifery program, holds current NARM certification, and is licensed under Rhode Island midwifery law. Coverage would apply to CPM services that fall within the provider’s professional competence and are already reimbursable when performed by another healthcare provider.
The bill also prohibits insurers from requiring supervision, a signature, or a referral from another provider as a condition of reimbursement, unless those same requirements apply to comparable provider categories. It further bars payment for duplicate services when both a CPM and another provider render the same service. Beginning July 1, 2027, affected insurers must report utilization and cost information related to CPM services to the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, which would define the reporting details. The act would take effect January 1, 2027, and it excludes several limited-benefit products, including accident-only, disability income, long-term care, Medicare supplement, and other specified limited coverage policies.
The bill would amend multiple chapters of Rhode Island insurance law by adding parallel CPM coverage mandates to the statutes governing accident and sickness insurance policies, nonprofit hospital service corporations, nonprofit medical service corporations, and health maintenance organizations. It would also state that these new provisions supersede conflicting or inconsistent state laws, including certain provisions in the midwifery licensing and insurance chapters, to the extent of any conflict. In practical terms, the measure would expand mandated insurance coverage for midwifery services and create new reporting obligations for insurers and the health insurance commissioner.
The available record shows no committee transcript, vote tally, or recorded floor debate, so there is no documented public sentiment from legislative discussion in the materials provided. Based on the bill text and caption, the measure appears to be framed as a coverage-expansion and provider-access bill, with an emphasis on parity for certified professional midwives within health insurance reimbursement systems.
The main policy issue embedded in the bill is whether certified professional midwives should be treated as covered providers on the same footing as other reimbursable healthcare professionals. Potential points of contention include the scope of required coverage, the prohibition on supervision or referral requirements, and the bill’s reliance on MANA standards in defining professional competence. The preemption language may also draw scrutiny because it would override conflicting statutes or regulations, including provisions tied to midwifery practice and insurance administration. No specific opposition or support is documented in the provided history.