Funds services, including Meals on Wheels, that were cut by Trump
By Herb Weiss, contributing writer, aging issues
From RINewsToday |
Rhode Island News, Updated Daily
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According to House Communications Director Larry Berman, the
House floor debate began at 3:35 p.m. on Friday, June 5, and lasted 3 hours and
45 minutes. House lawmakers offered 16 amendments, and 10 were approved
(none of these targeted aging programs and services). At 7:20 p.m., the budget
passed on a vote of 65 to 10, with 64 Democrats and one independent voting in
favor, while all 10 Republicans opposed it.
Greg Paré, Senate Communications Director notes: “On Tuesday, June 9, 2026, the upper chamber debated the House proposal for two hours and 17 minutes, beginning at 4:20 p.m. and concluding at 6:37 p.m. Senators considered 12 amendments, but none were approved. The Fiscal Year 2027 budget passed 32-6 without changes. Senators Samuel W. Bell (D-Dist. 5, Providence) and Leonidas “Lou” Raptakis (D-Dist. 33, East Greenwich and West Greenwich) joined the four Republican Senators in opposing passage of the budget proposal.”
Three days later, Gov. Dan McKee signed the
393-page Rhode Island General Assembly Fiscal year 2027 budget proposal at
10:30 a.m. at Children’s Friend in Providence.
While much of the attention surrounding the Fiscal Year 2027
budget focused on programs and services, lawmakers also approved several
significant policy changes and revenue measures. Chief among them is a new tax
on annual income exceeding $1 million. The phased-in surtax is expected to
generate approximately $142 million annually when fully implemented, providing
additional revenue to help support state services and offset potential
reductions in federal funding.
The state’s budget also creates an independent Office of
Inspector General to strengthen government accountability and oversight. In
addition, the Rhode Island General Assembly approved increased funding for
hospitals, behavioral health and home-care providers, child welfare programs,
public transit, and higher education, while authorizing an audit of the Rhode
Island Department of Transportation.
Investing in Rhode Island’s Aging Programs and Services
Although these initiatives will affect Rhode Islanders
across all age groups, the budget also contains provisions that directly impact
older adults, caregivers, and aging-service providers throughout the Ocean
State.
The Fiscal Year 2027 budget expands eligibility for
exempting Social Security income from state taxation by removing the age
threshold. Under current law, taxpayers who have reached full Social Security
retirement age (67 or older) and have incomes below $107,000 for individuals
and $133,750 for joint filers are exempt from paying state income tax on their
Social Security benefits. With the passage of the budget, the age requirement
has been eliminated.
The state budget also increases funding by $200,000,
bringing total funding for senior services grants to $1.8 million.
Meals on Wheels, which provides nutrition services to older
adults, was also on lawmakers’ radar. The budget increases funding for the
program by $50,000, bringing total state support to $730,000.
The Rhode Island General Assembly’s approved budget
allocates $4.1 million to fund the “Eat Well, Be Well” program for Supplemental
Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) recipients. This funding will help older
Rhode Islanders struggling with the high cost of groceries.
Under the program, eligible SNAP households will receive an
incentive of 50 cents for every dollar spent on fruits and vegetables, with the
benefit loaded onto their electronic benefits transfer (EBT) cards, up to a
maximum amount to be determined by the Rhode Island Department of Human
Services.
The budget also increases funding for the Rhode Island
Community Food Bank by $1 million, bringing total state support to $2.95
million to address food insecurity among families, including older adults.
In response to a significant increase in complaints
regarding care, the budget provides additional funding to the state’s Office of
Healthy Aging to support the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program, administered by
the Alliance for Better Long-Term Care.
The budget allocates funding for full cost-of-living
increases in nursing home reimbursement rates, with 80 percent of the increase
directed toward direct-care staff compensation. Gov. McKee’s proposed budget
had limited the increase to 2.5 percent.
As for the state’s nursing facility minimum staffing
requirements, the budget includes $200,000 to implement the Nursing Home
Staffing and Quality Care Act. The provision requires the Rhode Island
Department of Health to enforce staffing requirements at all nursing homes. The
funding will support contracted services to collect and analyze data and
calculate penalties for noncompliant facilities.
The state budget also includes $3.1 million to begin a
phased opening of new beds at the Rhode Island Veterans Home. The funding is
expected to increase capacity by 16 beds in each of the next two years,
bringing the facility to its maximum capacity of 192 residents.
Assisted living facilities will see increased Medicaid
reimbursement rates for caring for residents with dementia and those with
higher personal-care needs. Advocates say the increase will help facilities
accept and care for these residents while reducing premature nursing home
placements.
The Fiscal Year 2027 budget also doubles the amount of
assets that Medicaid home-care recipients may retain, helping older adults cope
with rising housing costs and other basic needs.
Several provisions within the budget are intended to address
the growing shortage of primary care providers, including assisting providers
with medical school costs and seed funding for a new medical school at the
University of Rhode Island (both of which were components of the Senate’s
package of priority health care bills).
In addition, the budget fully funds rate increases for home-
and community-based services recommended by an Office of Health Insurance
study. The governor’s budget proposal had funded only half of the recommended
increases. SACRI says the additional funding should improve worker compensation
and help prevent waiting lists for services.
A nursing home behavioral health per diem add-on included in
the budget provides additional resources for facilities caring for residents
with both nursing and behavioral health needs, helping to avoid unnecessary
transfers to acute-care settings.
Finally, an additional $13.5 million was included in the
Fiscal Year 2027 budget to help the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority
maintain services and avoid service reductions.
The Aftermath: Lawmakers and Aging Groups Debate Budget
Proposals’ Impact
“I am proud of this budget, which addresses the concerns and
struggles of everyday Rhode Islanders, including our older residents, who need
access to health care, who need to be able to pay their bills, and who need to
know that their government is honest and effective,” said Christopher
R. Blazejewski. “This budget is the result of months of
listening, prioritizing, and identifying ways to fix what isn’t working, he
stated.
“It provides relief today while being fiscally responsible
and putting our state in a better position in the years to come,”
notes Blazejewski.
“This budget reflects many of the Senate’s priorities,
including funding health care initiatives and supporting seniors and Rhode
Islanders in need,” said Senate President Valarie J. Lawson (D-Dist.
14, East Providence). “This is a responsible, balanced budget that
provides relief for Rhode Islanders, including our older residents, while
investing in and strengthening programs that support seniors, she says, noting
that it complements other legislation the Senate passed this year to support
older adults. She sponsored legislation to protect against the growing national
threat of deed theft, a scam by which thieves defraud seniors of their real
estate.
“These budget decisions reflect real progress for Rhode
Islanders who rely on long-term services and community supports,” said
Executive Director Carol Anne Costa. “We are encouraged to see the
state make investments that strengthen care, support the workforce, and help
older adults remain in the settings that best meet their needs.”
According to Costa, “SACRI fully intends to return in
the next session to pursue the Medicare Saving Program’s asset test removal,
the creation of the Office of the Elder Advocate, and secure a tax credit for
caregivers. “These efforts do not come with huge price tags and in fact, infuse
money back into the RI economy,” says Costa.
Costa emphasizes that Rhode Island’s aging population and
adults with disabilities deserve nothing less, as the organization
continues to be the voice for progress on their behalf.
“As the cost of food continues to skyrocket, our seniors,
those with long-term care, and other Rhode Islanders living on a fixed income
are being further squeezed. This budget helps ensure they can still get the
healthy meals they need through targeted investments in SNAP and organizations
like Meals on Wheels and the RI Community Food Bank. This budget brings us
closer to ensuring food security for all Rhode Islanders,” says Lt. Gov.
Sabrina Mattos, says Lt. Gov. Sabina Matos, chair of the
state’s Long-Term Care Coordinating Council.
“We appreciate the legislature’s commitment to strengthening
Rhode Island’s long-term services and supports through this year’s budget,”
says Mag Morelli, president of LeadingAge Connecticut & Rhode
Island. “The investments in assisted living, community-based services, and
nursing home care recognize the growing needs of older adults.
By supporting Medicaid reimbursement rates that more closely
reflect the cost of care, this budget helps providers deliver essential
services while promoting stability, access, and choice for aging Rhode
Islanders.”
Hopes Dashed: Budget Fails Rhode Island’s Caregivers
Meredith L. Sheehan, Director of Public
Policy, Alzheimer’s Association, Rhode Island Chapter: “More than 22,000 Rhode
Islanders live with Alzheimer’s disease, and 37,000 serve as caregivers. We
applaud budget investments in senior centers, the Long-Term Care Ombudsman
Program, and assisted living providers, but are disappointed funding was not
included for a Dementia Services Coordinator, a dedicated position needed to
develop a coordinated statewide response to dementia.”
“I am encouraged by the 2027 budget’s funding that
strengthens our support for people with Alzheimer’s disease and related
dementia (ADRD) and their caregivers, including increased Medicaid
reimbursement for specialized assisted living and for nursing home care,”
says Chris Gadbois, DNP, RN, chair of RI’s Council on ADRD.
“People’s ability to remain safely in their homes will be
supported by increased rates for home and community-based services and an
increase in the asset limits,” notes Gadbois.
However, like Sheehan, Gadbois expressed disappointment that
funding for a state Dementia Service Coordinator within the Rhode Island
Department of Health was not advanced in the past budget proposal, adding, “We
will continue to collaborate with state leadership for this critical position,
as well as reintroduce legislation to ensure healthcare providers’ and
facilities’ competency in caring for individuals with dementia.”
“The Office of Healthy Aging appreciates Governor McKee’s
continued commitment to older Rhode Islanders and to the systems of support
that help people age with dignity, connection, and independence. We remain
focused on working with state and community partners to strengthen access to
services and supports for older adults, caregivers, and families across Rhode
Island,” says Maria E. Cimini, MSW, Director, RI Office of Healthy
Aging.
Lori Light, the state’s long-term care ombudsman,
welcomes FY 2027 budget investments in aging-in-place programs. “It strengthens
our advocacy for nursing home and assisted living residents,” Light said. She
urges continued funding to expand ombudsman services, allowing the agency to
handle increasingly complex complaints and ensure all residents receive timely
support.
To view all provisions of H 7127Aaa, the
state’s enacted 2027 Fiscal Year Budget proposal, go HERE – https://webserver.rilegislature.gov/BillText26/HouseText26/H7127Aaa.pdf
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To read more articles by Herb Weiss, go to: https://2×8.ea2.myftpupload.com/herb-weiss/
Herb Weiss, LRI, 12, is a
Pawtucket-based writer who has covered aging, healthcare, and medical issues
for more than 45 years. To purchase his books, Taking Charge: Collected Stories
on Aging Boldly and its two sequels, visit herbweiss.com.
