Healthcare

This legislation would require improved public access to information about lead service lines and mandate mitigation and replacement measures where necessary. The bill aims to reduce exposure to lead in drinking water systems.

This legislation establishes protections for sensitive health data related to reproductive and gender-affirming care, including limits on disclosure and use of such information. The bill addresses privacy concerns in healthcare data systems.

This legislation would allow continuing care providers to offer services in an individual’s home while maintaining existing disclosure and regulatory requirements. The bill expands options for long-term care delivery outside of institutional settings.

This legislation would direct the state to shift Medicaid long-term care funding toward home- and community-based services, with a goal of allocating at least 50% of funding to non-institutional care. It also includes changes to reimbursement rates and administrative requirements for home care providers, and supports expanded training for certain care workers.

Sen. McKenney sponsored legislation that would authorize the purchase of medical debt for qualifed low income persons, using excess APRA funds. The program, to be administered by the general terasurer for the purchase, cancellation and forgiveness of medical debts would provide needed relief for countless Rhode Islanders struggling with medical debt. 

Sen. McKenney supported legislation that successfully repealed the sales tax on feminine hygiene products. The law, with support from the Rhode Island Medical Society, Planned Parenthood and the Women's Policy Institute, went into effect on october 1, 2019 recognizes femine hygiene products as a necessity, not a luxury. 

Sen. McKenney supported passed of the Reproductive Privacy Act (RPA) that solidified abortion rights in Rhode Island by codifying the protections of Roe v. Wade into state statute, ensuring access regardless of federal changes. Sen. McKenney cast a vote in favor of the law in the Senate which voted (21-17) on passage, helping to secure a landmark vicotry for reproductive rights advocates who had pursued similiar legislation in Rhode Island for decades. 

Sen. McKenney sponosored legislation that established audit requirements for pharmacy benefit managers, as well as annual audit requirements for health insurers in order to protect patient interests.

Sen. McKenney cosponsored legislation aimed to authorize trained pharmacists to prescribe and dispense self-administered hormonal contraceptives (bills and patches) to patients, aiming to increase access to birth control without requiring primary care visits. Pharmacists would be required to complete a training program approved by the state board of pharmacy prior to being eligible to prescribe and dispense the contraceptives.  Although the bill did not pass, it laid the groundwork for subsequent legislation in later years.