RI Physician Shortage Bill: Let RIDOH OK Delayed Licenses

STATE HOUSE — Sen. Peter A. Appollonio Jr.’s (D-Dist. 29, Warwick) new legislation to combat a looming RI physician shortage would empower the director of the Rhode Island Department of Health to approve medical licenses delayed by lack of quorum on medical and dental boards.

The legislation is aimed at eliminating the state’s medical licensing backlog, in turn relieving some pressure on the declining workforce of primary care physicians in the state.

That shortage is part of a nationwide trend, as reported by the Office of Health Insurance Commissioner (OHIC).

“The U.S. is facing a nationwide shortage of primary care physicians, which is projected to grow given the large portion of the physician workforce nearing traditional retirement age and accelerated retirement due to physician burnout, exacerbated by COVID-19. As of September 2023, the federal government estimated that an additional 17,463 primary care physicians would have been needed to provide a level of care that would have removed the Health Professional Shortage Area (HPSA) designation for areas with primary care shortages.32 The Association of American Medical Colleges estimates that by 2034 the U.S. will face a deficit of between 17,800 and 48,000 primary care physicians,” according to OHIC’s 2023 report on Rhode Island’s primary care (genera physician) outlook.

RI physician shortage: Workforce above average, but declining

According to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services CMS’ National Plan and Provider Enumeration System, Rhode Island ranked fourth out of all states in the U.S. in terms of number of active primary care providers 60, with 301.5 active primary care providers per 100,000 population in 2023, compared to 232 nationwide, OHIC reports. But the forecast isn’t that bright.

“Although Rhode Island may be faring better than some parts of the country, Rhode Island’s primary care workforce shortage is still cause for significant concern. The primary care provider to population ratio cited above has declined the last two year. Furthermore, data published in the past decade offer valuable insights into the problem. In 2019 alone, Rhode Island experienced a net loss of 14 primary care physicians per 100,000 population, or 4 percent of its primary care physician population.”

The Robert Graham Center report on Rhode Island’s physician workforce shows the state is expected to have a deficit of nearly 100 primary care providers by 2030. As of 2018, about 44 percent of Rhode Island family physicians were over the age of 55 and nearing retirement age.  Rhode Island is also losing the new physicians it trains to other states.

The bill (2025-S 0170), part of a package of legislation introduced in the Senate focused on addressing health care accessibility and affordability, including the RI physician shortage, would grant the director of the Department of Health the authority to approve or deny any applications for professional licensure pending before a medical or dental board of licensure that has been unable to establish a quorum for 30 business days.

“The shortage of primary care physicians in Rhode Island is rapidly becoming an emergency,” said Appollonio. “In order to best address this crisis, we first have to ensure that the system for licensing our health care professionals is efficient and free of snags. This bill will go a long way in making sure that these medical professionals get their licenses expeditiously by removing the unnecessary hurdles that come up when the licensing boards are unable to establish a quorum.”

The legislation has been referred to the Senate Committee on Health and Human Services. The measure is one of nine that the Senate has introduced to remove burdensome administrative requirements that present barriers to patient care, protecting patients from crushing medical debt, and otherwise improving access and lowering costs.