Gov. McKee, RI EOHHS, Brown University Launch Community Outreach Partnership on Federal Changes to Medicaid
Published on Wednesday, October 14, 2026
Brown MPH students will help connect Rhode Islanders with information and resources about changes to Medicaid required under federal law
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PROVIDENCE, RI — Rhode Island Medicaid and the People, Place, and Health Collective at the Brown University School of Public Health today launched a partnership to help Rhode Islanders understand changes to Medicaid required under federal law and connect residents with information and resources.
"When changes are coming to programs that Rhode Islanders rely on for their healthcare, we have a responsibility to ensure people understand what those changes mean and what steps they need to take.” said Governor Dan McKee. “The work ahead is about more than forms, deadlines, or regulations. It's about people. It's about making sure Rhode Islanders have the information and support they need to stay healthy and thrive. Thank you to the EOHHS, Rhode Island Medicaid, and Brown University for stepping forward to be part of that mission."
Under federal law (commonly referred to as House Resolution 1 or the One Big Beautiful Bill Act), certain changes to Medicaid eligibility and coverage requirements will take effect. These include new eligibility rules for some people who are not U.S. citizens, as well as work requirements and more frequent renewals for some adults enrolled through the Medicaid expansion program. The non-citizen eligibility changes took effect on October 1, 2026, while work requirements and six-month renewals for some Medicaid expansion adults begin in 2027.
“Making sure Rhode Islanders have clear, accurate information about changes to Medicaid is critical to helping them stay connected to health coverage,” said RI Medicaid Director Kristin Sousa. “This partnership with the Brown School of Public Health will help extend our outreach to communities across the state and make it easier for individuals to understand what these changes may mean for them and what steps they can take now.”
The partnership kicked off at the Brown School of Public Health, with Medicaid representatives, Brown faculty, and Brown Master of Public Health (MPH) students. Through the partnership, MPH students will extend RI Medicaid’s outreach efforts by engaging residents in their communities and sharing multilingual educational materials.
“The changes coming to Medicaid could have considerable implications for millions of Americans, including individuals in Rhode Island who rely on Medicaid to access health care,” said Francesca Beaudoin, Dean of the School of Public Health at Brown University. “As Rhode Island’s only school of public health, we have a responsibility to respond to urgent public health challenges like this one and to put the knowledge and resources of our school to work for our communities. This partnership gives us an opportunity to do that while giving our students invaluable experience on the ground, where they can put what they learn into practice and build critical skills they will carry throughout their careers.”
The students selected to participate in the Medicaid fellows program include:
The federal changes, like work requirements, will not affect everyone enrolled in Medicaid. The State is notifying members who may be affected and encourages all Medicaid members to keep their contact information up to date and to carefully review notices from the State.
“I would like to take this opportunity to remind all Medicaid members about the importance of keeping addresses and phone numbers current, reviewing notices you receive, and remembering to stay informed,” said DHS Director Kimberly Merolla-Brito. "There is a lot of information to help update you through this process – StayCoveredRI, the HealthyRhode mobile app, and information shared through direct mail, email, and even text messaging, which are all focused on helping you understand what is needed under the new changes coming.”
This direct community engagement is complemented by a public awareness campaign to reach Rhode Islanders with information about the upcoming changes and how to prepare. RI Medicaid is also working with health care providers, community organizations, and other trusted partners to distribute materials and help members prepare.
Rhode Islanders can learn more about upcoming federal changes to Medicaid and find available resources at staycovered.ri.gov/updates. ### |