Rhode Island considering minimum reimbursements for doctors

Rhode Island wants you so badly that it is considering guaranteeing your pay. Trying to attract and retain doctors, the state’s lawmakers are considering requiring commercial insurers to pay physicians at a rate at least 125% of what Medicare pays.

Rhode Island legislators say that pay rates lower than those in surrounding states make attracting and retaining physicians difficult.

The bill comes with a catch for doctors, however. To qualify for the higher pay rate, doctors would have to participate in the state Medicaid program and devote at least 5% of their practice to free care.

The Rhode Island Medical Society opposes the bill, saying it doesn’t like the idea of setting rates by law. A similar measure failed last year.