My name is Barbara Colt. I am on the board of directors for The Womxn Project. The Womxn Project is a statewide organization focused on leveraging the power of art, activism, advocacy and education to advance the principles of reproductive justice, which demands that we all have the right to determine when and how we build our relationships, families and futures and that we have the ability to live and raise our children with dignity.
I am thrilled to submit testimony in support of S62, which ensures the confidentiality of patient’s information in the explanation of benefits (EOBs) that are provided by insurance companies. We are particularly heartened that this bill does not create any age limitations on protections and would therefore help to protect the privacy of dependents who may use a parent or guardian’s health plan to obtain care.
We are dedicated to ensuring that the needs and rights of young people to make health decisions and to access care are respected and protected. While we appreciate the value of EOBs in terms of transparency and accountability for policyholders, we also know that in some situations, an individual may avoid accessing care due to concerns of confidentiality and safety.
We are committed to ensuring that young people can get the support and care they deserve to manage their health and plan for their futures. This is critical for ensuring the health and dignity of all Rhode Islanders regardless of age or the state of their relationships with family.
The Affordable Care Act (ACA) allowed people to stay on a parent’s plan until they are 26. It is a very positive step to ensure access to affordable health services, but it should not mean that young people give up their medical privacy. We do not want anyone to feel like they have to avoid seeking important services like mental health care, treatment for addiction or substance use, reproductive and sexual health support and services or gender affirming care because they are afraid their parents will judge them or punish them in some way. We could even be putting a young person in a position of facing violence simply for seeking the care they need.
We should do all we can to eliminate barriers to the care people need. This should never be limited by age or the type of insurance plan you have. We are very excited to see that this bill would ensure a patient’s privacy across plans and across ages. It is an important step forward for health and dignity! We urge you to vote yes on this important legislation. Thank you.
Contact: Barbara Colt ([email protected] or 401-400-0061)