Rhode Island Reaches Enrollment Target in New Health Premium Assistance Program

Despite earlier slow enrollment growth in Rhode Island's health insurance subsidy program for low-income workers, the program, called RIte Share, has met its goal of signing up 2,000 residents by June 30, the Providence Journal reports. RIte Share was created in February 2001 to control the growth and costs of RIte Care, the state's managed care program for families with low and moderate incomes. Lawmakers approved RIte Share -- which pays all or some of the premiums for low-income workers enrolled in their employer's health plan -- because they were concerned that some residents had left employer-sponsored health plans to receive free coverage under RIte Care. The state also shifted some RIte Care beneficiaries whose employers sponsored health plans into the new RIte Share program. Enrollment grew by about 1,800 since Jan. 1, when the state made enrollment in RIte Share mandatory for people applying for RIte Care coverage who had access to employer-sponsored insurance. In fiscal year 2002, RIte Share saved the state $75,000; the state expects to enroll 6,000 additional people in RIte Share and save $900,000 on the program in fiscal year 2003, which began July 1 (Freyer, Providence Journal, 7/18).