What’s happening your health in Rhode Island, April 4:
FENTANYL: The House of Representatives has approved legislation sponsored by Rep. Arthur J. Corvese to strengthen penalties for involvement with fentanyl, the synthetic opioid mixed with heroin and responsible for most overdose deaths in Rhode Island. The bill would bring the penalties for possession, manufacturing, or selling fentanyl in line with those for heroin and cocaine. It would make possession of any amount over one kilogram punishable by as much as a life term and fine of up to $1 million. Under existing law, a first offense for possession of fentanyl carries a maximum penalty of three years, and fines up to $5,000.
OBAMACARE: The Affordable Care Act may be around for a while, including the subsidies many customers in Rhode Island use to help pay for health insurance plans on HealthSource RI. In a statement, HealthSource head Zach Sherman said that’s critical for the stability of the insurance market and the affordability of the plans. “For many,” he said, “this assistance is the difference between being able to afford their health coverage and not.” But Sherman said insurers need to know the landscape for 2018 so they can plan accordingly.
WOMEN’S HEALTH: Women & Infants Hospital has scored more than $11 million in funding over five years through the National Institutes of Health (NIH) Centers of Biomedical Research Excellence (COBRE) grant program. The goal is to boost interdisciplinary research related to women’s reproductive health. Through the program, Women & Infants will integrate research efforts in pediatrics, obstetrics, and gynecology and establish a collaborative research environment to study a large number of women’s health conditions. The grant comes at a time when President Donald Trump’s proposed budget calls for slashing NIH funding by at least 20 percent.
DRUG PRICES: U.S. Senators Jack Reed (D-RI) and Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) and other Senate Democrats have introduced legislation to bring down prescription drug prices. The legislative package would: require manufacturers to disclose the factors influencing the prices they set; allow Medicare to negotiate drug prices; empower Health and Human Services agency to monitor changes in drug prices and take steps to prevent drug manufacturers from engaging in price gouging; and allow pharmacies and individuals to import certain prescription drugs from Canada, among other actions.
HEALTH INSURANCE: RI Sen. Susan Sosnowski (D-S. Kingstown) has introduced legislation that would prohibit health insurers from charging higher premiums based on a person’s gender. This is already codified in the Affordable Care Act (insurers were previously allowed to charge women higher premiums) but would be at risk if the ACA is repealed.