13-R425
2013 -- S 1040
Enacted 07/20/13
J O I N T R E S
O L U T I O N
PROHIBITING
DISCRIMINATION AGAINST CHIROPRACTIC PHYSICIANS IN
Introduced By: Senators Jabour, McCaffrey, Goodwin, Algiere, and Lombardi
Date Introduced: July 01, 2013
WHEREAS, Since 1987, Rhode Island General Law 27-20-1 has defined
“medical
services” as that term used in statutes governing health
plans, including services rendered by
chiropractic physicians; and
WHEREAS, Rhode Island
General Law 27-18-25 prohibits discrimination against
chiropractic physicians; and
WHEREAS, Rhode Island
General Law 5-30-17 states that medical licensure statute
“apply to the practice of
chiropractic medicine, and to persons practicing chiropractic medicine
within the state”; and
WHEREAS, Rhode Island
General Law 5-30-11 states that chiropractic physicians “are
subject to the same duties and liabilities, and are entitled
to the same rights and privileges in their
professional calling pertaining to public health, which are
imposed or given by law or regulation
upon or to physicians qualified to practice medicine by
section 5-37-2”; and
WHEREAS, Section 2706 of
the Federal Affordable Care Act explicitly provides that
“[a] group health and health
insurance issuer offering group or individual health insurance
coverage shall not discriminate with respect to participation
under the plan or coverage against
and health care provider who is acting within the scope
of that provider’s license or certification
under applicable state law”; and
WHEREAS, The General
Assembly supports the Affordable Care Act in its goals of
reducing health care costs, improving the quality of care, and
ensuring Americans have access to
affordable health insurance coverage; and
WHEREAS, The Affordable
Care Act includes provisions against health plans imposing
caps on the number of visits and dollar amounts for
services rendered by qualified health care
professionals; now, therefore be it
RESOLVED,
That this General Assembly of the State of
Plantations hereby affirms
that chiropractic physicians are entitled to the same rights and
privileges as all other allopathic and osteopathic physicians,
consistent with Rhode Island General
Law and Section 2706 of the
Federal Affordable Care Act prohibiting discrimination against
chiropractic physicians; and be it further
RESOLVED,
That the Secretary of the State be and hereby is
authorized and directed to
transmit duly certified copies of this resolution to the
office of Health Insurance Commissioner,
the director of Department of Health, and Governor
Lincoln Chafee.
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LC02951
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