AN ACT RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- LONG-TERM CARE SERVICE AND FINANCE REFORM -- ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY MEDICAID RATES (Requires the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) to apply an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (“COLA”) to the Medicaid reimbursement rates paid for assisted living services provided pursuant to this chapter.)

H8405

2026 -- H 8405
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LC006262
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
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A N A C T
RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- LONG-TERM CARE
SERVICE AND FINANCE REFORM -- ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY MEDICAID
RATES

Introduced By:
Representatives DeSimone, Biah, and Kazarian

Date Introduced:
April 03, 2026

Referred To:
House Finance
It is enacted by the General Assembly as follows:
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SECTION 1. Chapter 40-8.9 of the General Laws entitled "Medical Assistance — Long-
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Term Care Service and Finance Reform" is hereby amended by adding thereto the following
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section:
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40-8.9-10. Assisted living community Medicaid rates -- Annual cost-of-living
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adjustment.

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(a) Beginning July 1, 2026, and annually thereafter, the executive office of health and
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human services (EOHHS) shall apply an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (“COLA”) to the
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Medicaid reimbursement rates paid for assisted living services provided pursuant to this chapter.
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(b) The annual COLA shall be equal to the percentage increase, if any, in the Consumer
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Price Index for All Urban Consumers (CPI-U), Northeast Region for the most recently completed
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calendar year, as published by the United States Bureau of Labor Statistics.
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(c) The COLA adjustment shall be applied uniformly across all Medicaid-assisted living
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rate tiers including, but not limited to, acuity-based or service-level rate categories.
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(d) The COLA required under this section shall be applied automatically and shall not be
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subject to annual appropriation approval, rate rebasing, or discretionary adjustment by the
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executive branch, except as otherwise expressly provided by law.
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(e) Nothing in this section shall be construed to prohibit the general assembly from
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authorizing additional rate increases or rate restructuring beyond the COLA provided in this

1
section.
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(f) The EOHHS shall promulgate any rules and regulations necessary to implement this
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section, including alignment with federal Medicaid requirements and state plan amendments, if
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required.
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SECTION 2. This act shall take effect upon passage and shall apply to Medicaid assisted
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living rates effective July 1, 2026.
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EXPLANATION
BY THE LEGISLATIVE COUNCIL
OF
A N A C T
RELATING TO HUMAN SERVICES -- MEDICAL ASSISTANCE -- LONG-TERM CARE
SERVICE AND FINANCE REFORM -- ASSISTED LIVING COMMUNITY MEDICAID
RATES
***
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This act would require the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) to apply
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an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (“COLA”) to the Medicaid reimbursement rates paid for
3
assisted living services provided pursuant to this chapter.
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This act would take effect upon passage and would apply to Medicaid assisted living rates
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effective July 1, 2026.
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LC006262
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LC006262 - Page 3 of 3