Enrollment in RIte Share, Rhode Island’s New Subsidized Health Insurance Program, Much Lower Than Expected
RIte Share, Rhode Island's new state-subsidized health insurance program, has gotten "off to a slow start," with only 33 residents enrolling since its Feb. 1 launch, the Providence Journal reports. Gov. Lincoln Almond (R) and the state Legislature created the program to help "control the exploding costs of RIte Care," the state's health insurance program for low- and moderate-income families, which covers one in 10 Rhode Island residents. Under RIte Share, the state pays a portion of premiums for employees that remain enrolled in employer-sponsored insurance rather than joining RIte Care. Employers must agree to participate in the program. Initially, the state allowed residents to enroll in RIte Share on a voluntary basis. But beginning May 1, those with "affordable" health insurance who sought to enroll or re-enroll in RIte Care were required to apply for RIte Share instead. The state predicted that providing subsidized insurance would cost less than paying for RIte Care beneficiaries and expected savings of $3 million per year. State Department of Human Services officials had expected 2,500 persons to enroll in RIte Share by June 30. Human Services Deputy Director Jane Hayward said of the low enrollment, "It is slower than what we had hoped. But I don't think it's a cause for concern. Any time you start a new program, it takes time to ramp it up." But state Rep. Suzanne Henseler (D), co-chair of the Joint Commission on Healthcare Oversight, said, "It concerns me that these employers are not coming on board." State Sen. Elizabeth Roberts (D) agreed that the situation "concerned" her, but added that it will take time for the state government to develop private sector relationships "on a new venture" (Fitzpatrick, Providence Journal, 6/5).
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