State House

It’s Time to End Gender Discrimination in Health Care Premiums By V. Susan Sosnowski and William J. Conley, Jr.

On February 11, the Rhode Island Senate unanimously passed legislation, SB 2125, prohibiting health insurers from charging women more for their health insurance. Again. In fact, this legislation has passed the Senate by overwhelming margins for each of the past eight years.

Women have long been required to pay more than men for similar services and products, and not just with health insurance. However, equal rights includes equal costs as well as equal pay. It is incomprehensible that in 2020 we could allow providers to charge different premiums on the basis of a person’s gender. As a state, we should not tolerate sexism of any kind, particularly in economic matters. Sexism in healthcare is especially egregious, and it should not be allowed.

On July 23rd, the Senate Finance Committee heard testimony on budget Article 20 which pertains to healthcare reform. Part of that section of the proposed state budget codifies certain provisions including the essential benefits of the Affordable Care Act into Rhode Island law. However, the ACA only prohibits small group and individual health insurance coverage from discriminating based on one’s gender.

The Senate bill, SB 2125, goes further and prohibits discrimination in that coverage as well as discrimination based on gender in large group market health insurance (groups with 50 or more employees). The Rhode Island Health Insurance Commissioner wrote in support of the legislation on January 27, 2020 that “…enacting this legislation…will have limited impact on the large market.”

We are disappointed that the entirety of the gender rating bill is not included in Budget Article 20. Nevertheless, with the steadfast support of our Senate colleagues, we will continue our fight to end gender discrimination in healthcare in Rhode Island this year, either through inclusion in the budget or by passage of the Senate bill in the General Assembly.

V. Susan Sosnowski is Chairwoman of the Senate Committee on Environment & Agriculture, and sponsor of SB 2125. William J. Conley, Jr. is Chairman of the Senate Finance Committee.

Rep. Serodio Strongly Opposes Removing

Portuguese Contractors from State’s Minority Business Enterprise List

East Providence – Rep. Joe Serodio, a Democrat who represents District 64 in the House of Representatives and is running for re-election, is vehemently opposed to legislation that would remove Portuguese Rhode Islanders from the state’s Minority Business Enterprise (MBE) list. The list is used to award minority-owned businesses with state contracts, such as building projects.

“At a time when our state and country is so divided, now is not the time to erect further barriers to prosperity by pitting our strong and diverse communities against each other. Portuguese Rhode Islanders, particularly those in East Providence, share a rich and deep history with Rhode Island. We are immigrants who came to this state to provide for our families and build upon the American Dream. We share the same stories, similar struggles, and the same close-knit but small population that every other minority community in our state possesses. We have experienced discrimination, lack of opportunities, and unfair characterizations of our culture and people,” said Rep. Serodio.

The legislation that Rep. Serodio opposes, H 8123, was introduced in the RI House of Representatives on July 30, 2020 and deletes Portuguese people from those eligible to be considered as minorities for purposes of awarding public works projects.

“In every metric, such as only representing 9.7 percent of the state’s population, Portuguese Rhode Islanders are indeed a minority community. The MBE list is supposed to lift our minority-owned businesses to success and equality, and it is for this reason that I am strongly opposed to removing Portuguese Rhode Island businesses from the MBE list,” added Rep. Serodio.

Rep. Serodio was born in Portugal and came to East Providence as a child. He finished school here, and then founded and built his own small business, America Travel, in East Providence.

He is a member of the Holy Ghost Beneficial Brotherhood and the Holy Ghost Brotherhood of Charity in East Providence. Representative Serodio is a founding member of the East Providence Soccer Club and a past president of the East Providence Portuguese School. He is also a past board member of the PortugueseAmerican Scholarship Foundation and the Portuguese American Business Association.

Tabel ey’ Roofing From roofs to windows Tabeley’s has your needs covered Master Elite Installer, 20 years of perfection www.Tabeleys.com • (401) 431-2816 Our Reputation is on the Top of Thousands of Homes Bill Hopkins

e y r

Reg. RI 18045 • Lic. MA 134986

www. .com