Attorney General Peter F. Neronha has strongly criticized Governor McKee's recent health care announcement, describing it as a "slapdash response to political and public pressure." Neronha expressed disappointment over the dissolution of Anchor Medical and the governor's suggestion of monitoring quarterly financials of physician groups, which he deemed inadequate. According to Neronha, "The Governor could have, and should have, been doing all along."
He criticized the governor's press conference, suggesting it offered little beyond "promises of future studies and reviews" and reflected "a deep misunderstanding of the issues at hand." Neronha noted that Rhode Island's health care system is far from being among the best in the nation, contrary to the governor's claims.
Further critiques were aimed at a proposed grant program, which Neronha argued targets administrative costs rather than increasing reimbursement rates for overworked primary care physicians. Some residents are reportedly struggling to find care, with Neronha stating, "We are in crisis."
Neronha proposed significant state-funded investments, such as increasing Medicaid reimbursement rates to match neighboring states and reducing health insurance companies' prior authorization requirements. He advocated for improved data collection and analysis to better understand and address the issues faced by the state's health care system.
The Attorney General announced plans to release information from completed health care studies and a new partnership initiative to help address the crisis. He emphasized that "residents don't want bureaucratic nonsense and Tuesday-morning lip-service; they want and need quality health care."
Neronha called for a data-driven, innovative approach with long-term structural reform to prevent the situation from worsening, indicating the urgency of the matter by stating, "Because it almost is."