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Health and Health Care

Community Voice

Healthcare access and rising costs

Access to healthcare and rising costs remain top issues for Rhode Island leaders. The governor’s budget included Marketplace Affordability support, responses to federal changes affecting Medicaid and SNAP, and hospital uncompensated-care funds, while experts urge the state to protect safety-net programs.

What should Rhode Island do about healthcare access and rising costs?

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How important is this to you?

Sources

Emily Lynch, University of Rhode Island — https://heyrhody.com/stories/ris-next-governor-to-face-new-and-familiar-challenges,109822
Increasing access to healthcare and dealing with rising healthcare costs remain top issues for political leaders.” [...] “Addressing fiscal challenges driven by the federal government’s decisions to reduce healthcare support is front and center in this year’s budget proposal.”
Governor Daniel J. McKee — https://governor.ri.gov/press-releases/governor-daniel-j-mckees-2026-state-state-address
That's why my budget will invest $9.5 million to create the state's first Marketplace Affordability program to support the 20,000 Rhode Islanders who are at the
Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council — https://ripec.org/fy2027_budget_proposal_highlights
The impacts of, and response to, H.R. 1 are a large focus of the governor’s budget proposal, with expenditures of $45 million for SNAP and Medicaid compliance and benefit maximization, $9.5 million for HealthSourceRI subsidies, and $10 million to hospitals for uncompensated care.
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Expand state-funded coverage, Marketplace subsidies, and Medicaid protections regardless of federal cuts
  2. Increase Marketplace affordability aid and mitigate federal Medicaid/SNAP reductions with state funds
  3. Maintain current programs with limited new subsidies while monitoring federal policy changes
  4. Target aid narrowly and slow state health spending growth to control the budget
  5. Reduce state health subsidies and eligibility expansions to lower taxes and spending

Federal safety-net and healthcare funding impacts

Federal policy changes (referenced as H.R. 1 and Trump-era executive actions) are driving Rhode Island budget responses on Medicaid, SNAP, HealthSourceRI subsidies, and hospital uncompensated care. Experts say the state should push back on rollbacks to social safety-net and renewable programs while managing fiscal fallout.

How should Rhode Island respond to federal cuts or changes affecting Medicaid, SNAP, and healthcare support?

Tap a point along the line below to show where you stand.

How important is this to you?

Sources

Emily Lynch, University of Rhode Island — https://heyrhody.com/stories/ris-next-governor-to-face-new-and-familiar-challenges,109822
states should continue to push back against President Trump’s executive actions to roll back social safety net programs, end renewable energy projects, and retrieve voter files with sensitive voter information. “Addressing fiscal challenges driven by the federal government’s decisions to reduce healthcare support is front and center in this year’s budget proposal.”
Rhode Island Public Expenditure Council — https://ripec.org/fy2027_budget_proposal_highlights
The impacts of, and response to, H.R. 1 are a large focus of the governor’s budget proposal, with expenditures of $45 million for SNAP and Medicaid compliance and benefit maximization, $9.5 million for HealthSourceRI subsidies, and $10 million to hospitals for uncompensated care. Due to projected enrollment declines from eligibility changes in H.R. 1, Medicaid spending would slow considerably in FY 2027
Positions on this issue  ·  liberal → conservative
  1. Replace lost federal dollars fully with state funds and actively resist safety-net rollbacks
  2. Use significant state matching funds to protect Medicaid/SNAP beneficiaries and Marketplace coverage
  3. Provide limited bridge funding while negotiating and adapting to federal rules
  4. Absorb only minimal state costs and redesign programs to fit reduced federal support
  5. Align quickly with federal reductions and avoid new state spending to backfill cuts