S3020 • 2026

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.)

Healthcare

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Dimitri, Thompson, Famiglietti
Last action: 2026-03-05
Official status: Introduced, referred to Senate Finance
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Using official source text because the generated explanation was unavailable or could not be confirmed against the official bill text.

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.)

What This Bill Does

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.)

Limits and Unknowns

This entry is temporarily using official source text because the generated explanation could not be confirmed against the official bill text during the last sync.

Bill History

2026-03-05 Rhode Island General Assembly
Introduced, referred to Senate Finance

Official Summary Text

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.)

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

S3020

2026 -- S 3020
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LC005203
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STATE OF RHODE ISLAND
IN GENERAL ASSEMBLY
JANUARY SESSION, A.D. 2026
____________
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:
Senators Dimitri, Thompson, and Famiglietti

Date Introduced:
March 05, 2026

Referred To:
Senate 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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LC005203
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LC005203 - Page 2 of 3
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
***
1
This act would require the executive office of health and human services (EOHHS) to apply
2
an automatic cost-of-living adjustment (“COLA”) to the Medicaid reimbursement rates paid for
3
assisted living services provided pursuant to this chapter.
4
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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LC005203
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LC005203 - Page 3 of 3