McKee rolls out RI primary care reforms; Neronha criticizes ‘half-baked’ approach

PROVIDENCE, R.I. (WPRI) — Rhode Island Gov. Dan McKee has announced a series of initiatives aimed at strengthening the state’s primary care system through both immediate and long-term strategies.

During a press conference Tuesday, McKee outlined steps to stabilize and enhance Rhode Island’s health care system amid ongoing challenges and federal uncertainty.

Key actions include accelerating a Medicaid rate review for primary care providers, requiring commercial insurers to boost reimbursement funding, and launching grants to help primary care practices serve more patients and hire new providers.

“In the changing landscape of health care, we need to take proactive steps to ensure our residents have continued access to primary care,” McKee said.

What’s the governor’s plan?

To help create a more competitive job market for primary care providers, McKee said he will file a budget amendment to move up the timeline for a rate review by the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) by one year.

McKee is also mandating commercial insurers to double per-member primary care spending by 2029 and reduce prior authorization requirements by 20%. His office said these steps aim to increase financial support, reduce red tape, and improve access to necessary care.

In addition, the governor unveiled $5 million in grant funding to help practices expand capacity and recruit providers. Practices can apply for a maximum grant of $375,000:

• Up to $75,000 for those who take on additional patients

• Up to $300,000 for those who hire new physicians or mid-level providers, including those from closed practices, other states, or different specialties

• Up to $5,000 for those who agree to serve Medicaid patients for the first time

Funds may be used for recruitment, compensation, and administrative costs related to growth. The application period runs from April 29 to May 16, with award decisions expected to be announced in early June.

McKee also filed a budget amendment to strengthen fiscal oversight of the health care system. It would require hospitals, large physician practices, and other providers to submit quarterly financial reports to the state. According to his office, this measure will improve transparency and is designed to be “an early-warning mechanism–not a punitive measure.”

What about Anchor Medical patients?

Officials cited the upcoming closure of Anchor Medical Associates—which is expected to leave an estimated 25,000 patients without a primary care doctor—as a key example of why more oversight is needed.

Petitions and calls for action have mounted since Anchor’s announcement, with concerns growing that people’s health could deteriorate if the state does not act swiftly.

MORE: Patients push back as Anchor Medical prepares to shut down

Richard Charest, R.I. Executive Office of Health and Human Services secretary, called the situation “concerning,” but said Anchor’s closure stemmed primarily from internal operational challenges.

“I’d rather not get into the specifics of that practice,” Charest said, “but if we had been notified earlier, we may have been able to help stabilize it.”

He added that the practice reportedly ran out of liquidity and couldn’t meet salary obligations. Officials are now in contact with Anchor to coordinate patient transfers, though Charest said “conflicting reports” have made it difficult to determine exactly how many patients remain without a provider.

He expressed hope that some practices will apply for the new grants to take on Anchor’s former patients and staff.

“These challenges didn’t emerge overnight, and they won’t be solved overnight—and it will take time to rectify them,” Charest said. “But with targeted, proactive investments and continued collaboration between the state, providers and advocates, we believe we can build a system that better serves Rhode Islanders today and in the future.”

McKee also proposed an expansion of the state’s primary care student loan forgiveness program in his FY26 budget. The program supports health professionals who commit to working in Rhode Island for at least two years. If approved, this would mark the first general revenue funding for the program since 2008.

But not everyone is on board.

“We are in crisis”

Attorney General Peter Neronha criticized the governor’s plan, calling it an “unimpressive attempt” that reflects a “deep misunderstanding” of the state’s health care crisis.

Neronha described McKee’s proposals as a “slapdash response” to the increasing political and public pressure, arguing that the financial reporting plan is too little, too late. He also called the grant program “vaguely defined” and said it lacks the sustained investment the system needs.

“We will never fix this crisis through talking points and half-baked proposals,” Neronha wrote, accusing McKee’s administration ignoring and pretending problems don’t exist.

He added that Rhode Island’s primary care physicians are “overworked and overburdened” by a system that “doesn’t support them” and residents are scrambling to find care.

“We are in crisis,” Neronha said. “And some of us have been sounding the alarm for years.”

Neronha said his office plans to release several health care studies in the coming weeks, along with a partnership initiative that will offer potential solutions.

“Our residents don’t want bureaucratic nonsense and Tuesday-morning lip-service; they want and need quality health care,” he said. “We need a consistent data-driven, multi-pronged, and innovative approach now that will help us achieve long-term structural reform and will immediately help us avoid the worst of this crisis before it’s too late. Because it almost is.”

Howard Dulude, Interim President of the Hospital Association of Rhode Island, issued the following statement regarding McKee’s primary care plan:

“It has taken decades of a lack of investment to reach a crisis point in health care and it will take a serious investment to get us out of it. While we appreciate the Governor’s focus on the issue, our experience in the field tells us that nothing short of foundational increases in reimbursement rates— across all providers, from hospitals to private practices to health centers—will address the crisis.  Additionally, Rhode Island has access to federal matching dollars that can help support these investments. We should maximize these as much as possible.”