The bill amends Sections 27-18-25, 27-19-75, and 27-20-71 of the General Laws to prohibit unfair discrimination in health-benefit plans and healthcare services. It introduces new definitions for "health-benefit plan" and "healthcare entity," and explicitly prohibits discrimination based on actual or perceived characteristics such as race, ethnicity, color, religion, national origin (including language), sex (including sex characteristics), sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, and pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions, age, disability, height, weight, or any combination thereof.

The bill stipulates that individuals cannot be excluded from participation in, denied benefits of, or otherwise subjected to discrimination under any health-benefit plan based on these characteristics. It also prohibits healthcare entities from denying, canceling, delaying, limiting, or refusing to issue or renew a health-benefit plan on these bases, as well as from implementing discriminatory marketing practices or benefit designs.

Additionally, the bill requires healthcare entities to provide enrollees with information regarding nondiscrimination requirements, including a statement of non-discrimination, instructions for filing grievances regarding discrimination, and contact information for assistance. It establishes penalties for healthcare entities or health-benefit plans found to have violated any provisions of this section, subjecting them to the enforcement provisions of chapters 14 and 14.5 of title 42 and the regulations promulgated thereunder. The act aims to enhance protections against discrimination in healthcare access and services in Rhode Island.

Statutes affected:
7940: 27-18-25, 27-19-75, 27-20-71, 27-41-88