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Senior Agenda Coalition of RI Unveils 2026 Legislative Agenda at Annual Briefing

Published in RINewsToday on March 16, 2026

At its 10th annual Legislative Leader’s Forum, the Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI) unveiled its 2026 legislative agenda. More than 160 participants, including older adults, advocates, and state and federal officials, gathered at Gaige Hall at Rhode Island College for the event.

The event, “Voices of Advocacy — Anchors of Hope,” addressed the challenges facing Rhode Island’s growing older population and the policy changes needed to improve affordability, health care access, housing, and community supports.

The briefing opened with remarks by Rhode Island College President Jack R. Warner, SACRI Board Chair, Kathleen McKeon, and Executive Director Carol Anne Costa, who served as host. 

Costa began with a thank you to Rep. Joseph Solomon and Senator Mark McKeeney (who were present) for introducing the bill creating the Office of the Elder Advocate.  SACRI Policy Advisor Maureen Maigret outlined an Affordable Policy Agenda. Other speakers included representatives from the Rhode Island Coalition for Elder Justice, Economic Progress Institute, and Rhode Island Organizing Project.

A number of top elected officials followed, including U.S. Sens. Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse, Congressman Seth Magaziner, Gov. Dan McKee, State Treasurer James Diossa, House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi, and Senate Majority Leader Frank Ciccone, who discussed previous and current legislative efforts affecting older Rhode Islanders.

Rhode Island’s Aging Demographics

“One in five Rhode Islanders is 65 or older,” Maigret said, adding the state is also among the top five for residents 85 and older.

The share of residents 65 and older rose from 16% in 2016 to 19% today. Maigret reminded officials that older residents are a powerful voting bloc. In 2024, over one-third of ballots were cast by older voters.

Nearly 73% of households led by those 65 and older own their homes, while 28% rent. Housing costs burden 31% of older homeowners and 52% of renters, who spend over 30% of their income on housing.

Around 4% of older Rhode Islanders live in nursing facilities, and about 485 aged 55+ are unhoused including 164 persons aged 65+.

Older adults drive Rhode Island’s economy: 40% of the workforce is 55+, about 40,000 provide unpaid family care, and approximately 45,000 volunteer formally in their communities.

Residents aged 50 and older contribute $27 billion annually to Rhode Island’s GDP. Social Security brings $3.9 billion into the state each year, with every $1 in benefits generating about $2 in economic output.

Despite these contributions, financial insecurity persists. Older adult poverty has increased and now exceeds 11%, and nearly a quarter of older households live on less than $25,000 a year.

A healthy single older homeowner without a mortgage needs nearly $29,000 annually to cover basic expenses, exceeding what about a quarter of older households have.

SACRI’s Legislative Priorities

Maigret said affordability is the central challenge facing older residents especially those with modest incomes, and SACRI has organized its agenda around four “building blocks”: health care, economic security, housing, and community supports.

Eliminating the $9,950 asset limit for the Medicare Savings Program is a top priority. SACRI recommends removing this limit entirely to allow more low-income residents to qualify for help with Medicare costs.

 “In 2025 the legislature raised the income eligibility to about $27,000, this year we want to take the next step,” Maigret said. “And the next step is to eliminate the very restrictive asset test.”

Maigret also urged lawmakers to fully fund provider rate increases as recommended by the Office of the Health Insurance Commissioner, specifying that these funds are needed to close workforce shortages in home care.

These increases address shortages of home care workers. The coalition also urges nursing home cost-of-living adjustments to the federal 3.1% recommendation, ensuring increases reach frontline workers.

Additional SACRI recommendations include increasing funding for the Long-Term Care Ombudsman Program to expand oversight and supporting an all-payer Primary Care Investment Target to increase access to primary care.

To address Rhode Island’s housing shortage, SACRI recommends a housing bond of at least $120 million, with a requirement that at least 30% be allocated to populations including older adults, persons with disabilities and the homeless. SACRI further urges that new residential developments be required to include more accessible units than the current 8% rate.

Maigret called for stronger support for caregivers and community services. Proposed policies include a caregiver tax credit up to $1,000, increasing the Medicaid home care asset limit, funding homemaker services, awarding a state grant to the Village Common of Rhode Island to aid aging in place, and establishing an Office of the Elder Advocate.

Other Policy Concerns

Nina Harrison, policy director at the Economic Progress Institute, argued that Rhode Island’s tax system places a heavier burden on lower-income residents.

“The lowest-income earners in the state pay a higher portion of their wages in taxes than the top income earners,” Harrison said. She supports creating a new tax bracket for annual income above $640,000, which she said could generate about $203 million annually for public services.

Ray Gagné of the Rhode Island Organizing Project called for restoring recent service cuts at the Rhode Island Public Transit Authority and creating a stable, long-term funding source for the system.

Lawmakers Respond

House Speaker Shekarchi shared a personal story about caring, along with his siblings, for their 100-year-old father with Alzheimer’s disease, stressing the importance of allowing older adults to age in place.

“Everything is a compromise. Everything is a negotiation,” Shekarchi said of the legislative process. He highlighted recent state investments, including $18 million to keep Roger Williams and Fatima hospitals operating, $12 million added last year to nursing home funding to address workforce shortages, and more than $40 million to increase reimbursement rates for primary care physicians.

Shekarchi also pointed to legislation allowing Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) as a step toward addressing the state’s housing shortage.

“That’s a big benefit,” he said.

Senate Majority Leader Ciccone said lawmakers are considering 17 bills to make health care more affordable and accessible. “Throughout this session, we will evaluate the financial burdens facing Rhode Islanders and the programs they rely on,” Ciccone said.

Gov. McKee argued that his “affordability for all” plan would benefit all Rhode Islanders, with key provisions for seniors, including the complete elimination of the state tax on Social Security and policies to control rising utility costs.

The Governor outlined several proposals in his budget, including increasing funding for senior centers by $200,000 for a total of $1.8 million and phasing out the state tax on Social Security income over three years, beginning with lower-income residents.

His budget also includes $9.5 million to assist nearly 10,000 residents whose HealthSource RI insurance premiums have increased sharply.

State Treasurer Diossa gave an overview of agency programs spanning the age spectrum, from baby bonds to retirement planning. He noted that his Secure Choice retirement program addresses the needs of the 40% of private-sector workers who lack access to retirement benefits.

At the federal level, Sens. Reed and Whitehouse warned that changes to federal policies could threaten Social Security, Medicare, and Medicaid.

U.S. Rep. Seth Magaziner also called for federal action to lower costs, including expanding Medicare drug price negotiations and creating tax incentives to increase the housing supply. He also announced plans to pursue bipartisan legislation to establish a permanent House Select Committee on Aging. “Seniors deserve a dedicated forum in Congress focused on the challenges they face,” Magaziner said.

SACRI’s Costa ended the Forum with a call to collective action, urging attendees to leverage their influence for unified advocacy on behalf of older adults and people with disabilities in Rhode Island.

Let’s make our voices heard and ensure Rhode Island’s leaders are held accountable for advancing these critical priorities. Together, we can drive lasting change and truly roar for progress.

Two Attendees’ Perspectives

Mary Lou Moran, director of Pawtucket’s Division of Senior Services/Leon Mathieu Senior Center, said the briefing successfully brought together leaders from across government to focus on the needs of older residents.

“The continued work to eliminate the Medicare Savings Program asset limit, create an Office of the Elder Advocate, and expand funding for programs such as the Long-Term Care Ombudsman and Medicaid home care was all highlighted,” Moran said.

Moran emphasized legislative and federal efforts to support older adults and expressed optimism that the initiatives discussed will drive progress in the next session.

“The Governor’s FY 2027 State budget is fully committed, has little new revenue & substantial federal cuts in the Affordable Care Act, Medicaid, Housing Voucher & food subsidies will leave an unresolved budget hole,” says North Kingston Resident David R Kaloupek. Kaloupek, 87, asks: “How will the Rhode Island General Assembly narrow its spending targets for the state’s most vulnerable, frail older adults, nursing home residents, home care beneficiaries, and unhoused older Rhode Islanders?  When the dust settles after the upcoming legislative sessions conclude, we’ll see who will be helped and who will be abandoned.”

A final note…  The coming together of aging advocates and Gov. McKee, the House Speaker, and Senate Majority Leader might just create the political will to support key parts of SACRI’s legislative agenda, such as eliminating the Medicare Savings Plan asset limit, the state tax on Social Security, or creating an Office of Elder Advocate, which could significantly boost the chances of those proposals becoming law. The agreement between aging advocates and state lawmakers on several fronts suggested a strong potential for legislative progress on senior issues in the upcoming session.

SACRI’s 2026 Legislative Leaders’ Forum was sponsored by: Age-Friendly Rhode Island, Delta Dental, United Healthcare, Neighborhood Health Plan, SEIU Local 580 and Capitol TV.

https://capitoltvri.cablecast.tv/show/11856

Costa takes helm of SACRI, Crafts Vision for Upcoming Conference

Published in RINewsToday on September 9, 2024

The Senior Agenda Coalition of Rhode Island (SACRI), an independent and diverse coalition of over 20 agencies and individual members who advocate for older Rhode Islanders, gears up for the planning of its 16th Annual Conference and Expo with the recent appointment of its new Executive Director, Carol Anne Costa.

Bringing a Wealth of Experience to SACRI

According to Diane Santos, SACRI Board  Chair, Costa brings a wealth of experience from her positions in the Raimondo administration and most recently as the Constituent Service Coordinator for the Rhode Island Office of Attorney General. Her institutional knowledge at the state and federal levels gained in her past positions in the Rhode Island Judiciary, as well as Executive Director of National Utility Contractors of RI (NUCARI) and her managerial role at the Johnston Housing Authority, is a great asset.

“Most importantly, Carol is passionate about helping others, not only through her work but also through her volunteerism in the community. This commitment is exemplified by her serving on many Boards and committees, most notably as a member of the Board of Directors of Wiggin Village for the past 20 years,” says Santos.

The conference will bring together important voices: people from across the state together with the politicians who serve their interests at the levers of power, says Costa. “To achieve progress on any issue the participation of decision makers along with those they represent is the best way to meet budget, legislative and policy goals,” notes Costa.

SACRI Conference is Just a Month Away

In July, Costa stepped into the role of managing SACRI’s upcoming annual conference, “A Bridge to a Secure Future,” to be held on October 9, 2024, from 7:30 a.m. to 12:00 noon, at the Warwick-based Crown Plaza.  This major task remains on her desk as do many of the other tasks to move the organization forward to prepare for the upcoming General Assembly session.

We must embrace the future and respect the past,” says Costa, in developing strategies to advocate for legislative proposals that enhance the lives older persons.

 “My goal is to fill the ballroom at the Crowne Plaza to capacity with older Rhode Islanders, aging advocates, partners and coalition members to educate them about legislative proposals that SACRI supports during next year’s legislative session.

According to Costa, the conference theme, “A Bridge to a Secure Future,” focuses on the kitchen table issues facing older adults and adults with disabilities: economic security, healthcare, and housing. Presenting the keynote address is US Senator Sheldon Whitehouse who will be followed by a panel including US Congressman Seth Magaziner, RI Attorney General Peter F. Neronha and Housing expert, Julie Leddy, she says.

“The conference will be informative and opportune.” said Costa, noting that SACRI’s mission is helping to better the lives of older Rhode Islanders and adults with disabilities and the conference helps us to expand our outreach into the community.

“Empowering people by giving their voice to pertinent issues is something I value, and this conference is the perfect way to begin my tenure at the helm,” she continued.

“In Rhode Island, the healthcare system is under great stress. Older Rhode Islanders face a system rife with worker shortages, long wait times and a dwindling pool of doctors. Solving these problems requires the voices of our coalition and its partners to bring attention to them and the impact they have on people,” said Costa.

In speaking about housing issues, Costa noted, “The housing situation in the state is at a crisis point where new stock is virtually nonexistent and underfunded agencies tasked with building, managing, and easing rental spikes are the only bulwark to help ordinary folks.”

But the big question which looms is will the monies allocated for new development be proportionally distributed, particularly for our older adults as threats to Medicare and Social Security at the federal level compound the stress they feel?” asks Costa.

“This advocacy work is in my DNA, and I am enjoying every minute of it,” says Costa, stressing that she looks forward to moving SACRI forward to accomplish its legislative and policy goals that will impact Rhode Island’s older population.

“And I would be remiss if I did not ask everyone to join us on October 9, 2024,” she said.

Building on Last Year’s  Success

Looking back, over 300 people attended last year’s conference, says Maureen Maigret, SACRI’s Policy Advisor, who assisted its Board members to organize the 2023 conference.  After educating the attendees, the coalition mobilized its troops composed of older Rhode Islander, aging and health care organizations, educators, unions, and Medicare insurance providers to push for change. “

How did that conference impact SACRI’s lobbying efforts?

“Last year’s legislative agenda reflected policy issues discussed by the keynote speaker and panelists at the conference,” noted Maigret, a former Director of the State’s Office on Aging.   According to Maigret, SACRI’s lobbying efforts resulted in the General Assembly enacting SACRI’s legislative priorities that included increasing home and community service provider rates, increasing funding for the state’s senior centers and the streamlining of zoning requirements for the building of Accessory Dwelling Units.  Lawmakers also put a $120 million housing bond program on the November ballot, she said.

“Feedback from Conference attendees about the presentations was excellent and they liked the variety of exhibitors, too,” says Maigret, noting that some participants did say they would have liked more time to ask questions to the presenters. This year’s conference does build in additional time for Q&A, she adds. 

Maigret says SACRI’s Board took charge in organizing the successful event.  This year, Costa and her Board continue its efforts to organize and prepare for the upcoming legislative session, she says.

The cost of SACRI’s upcoming conference is $25.00 per person for Members and $35 per person for nonmembers.  And any organization who wishes to exhibit their work at the Expo, the tables are $350.00. To register go to  https://senioragendari.org/2024-conference-and-expo.

For more details about SACRI, to https://senioragendari.org/.

Benefits for seniors from Rhode Island’s next budget

Published in RINewsToday on June 17, 2024 

With a 35-2 vote in the Senate early on Friday the Senate gave its approval for a $13.963 billion budget for the 2025 fiscal year, comprising 13 articles that direct additional funding toward education and children, raises Medicaid reimbursement rates, health care support, and includes a $120 million affordable housing bond. The 300-page budget bill – read here, 2024-H 7225Aaa has now gone to Gov. Dan McKee, who is scheduled to sign it at an event Monday, June 17, at 11:15 a.m. in the State Room on the second floor of the State House.

Rhode Island’s FY 2025 Budget and Seniors

House Speaker K. Joseph Shekarchi (D-Dist. 23, Warwick) reeled off specifics as to how this year’s budget proposal impacts senior programs and services, noting that it aims to lower the rising housing and health care costs that impact the quality of life of older Rhode Islanders. “We have asked the voters to approve an additional $120 million in funds to increase affordable housing production. The budget accelerates a commitment to raising Medicaid reimbursement rates for services to care for our most vulnerable seniors and people living with disabilities to stabilize our health care and human service provider networks,” noted Shekarchi. 

Under the budget proposal tax relief is provided to seniors who rely on retirement income, raising the exemption to $50,000 for qualified single filers and $100,000 for joint filers. It also repeals the suspension of annual cost of living (COLA) adjustments for retirees in the state pension system who retired before 2012 and moves up the timeline for resumption of COLA for other state retirees. 

Lawmakers changed the calculation for pension benefits to base it on the highest three consecutive years of earning instead of five. Finally, the House Speaker noted that this budget fully funds Medicaid rate increases for home care and other services that help seniors age with dignity in the community and stay in their homes if they so desire, and also increases support for services provided in nursing or assisted living settings. 

Adds Senate President Dominick J. Ruggerio(D-Dist. 4, North Providence, Providence), “I am pleased that the budget will invest in many Senate priorities, particularly in the areas of health care, child care, education and providing some needed relief to retirees,” says Ruggerio. “Specifically, the budget incorporates $2.7 million for primary care provider training sites, as well as $500,000 for tuition assistance for students who enter the primary care field and remain in Rhode Island. The budget also includes funding for purchasing medical debt for pennies on the dollar,” he says. 

But how does the aging network view this spending plan? 

According to Maureen Maigret, Policy Advisor with the Senior Agenda Coalition of RI (SACRI), under the spending plan approved by the Assembly $103.2 Million in all funds was added to the Governor’s proposed budget to fully fund the social and human service provider rate increases as recommended by the state’s Office Health of Insurance Commissioner (OHIC) based on the comprehensive legislatively mandated Rate Review Study performed in 2023. According to Maigret, who served as a member of the Advisory Task Force for the Rate Study, the full funding was especially important for those older adults and persons with disabilities seeking access to home and community services. 

“Too many persons on Medicaid have been waiting three months or longer to access needed home care supports which can cause health to deteriorate or to consider nursing home placement at far more expense to the state,” Maigret said. Maigret noted the increases would raise rates for providers of home care, assisted living, shared living and adult day services – all critical to helping persons with support needs to be able to stay at home where most persons with care needs prefer to live. 

Senior Agenda Coalition has worked for many years to promote better access to home and community-based services and to advocate for better wages for the direct care workers who provide this care,” she added, noting that these individuals are usually women, mostly women of color, and for too long have been undervalued and underpaid she noted. In 2022 the SACRI advocated with the legislature to set a minimum wage of at least $17/hour; however, the budget only called for a minimum of $15/hour. With full funding for the recommended home and community care provider rates, we would like to see these essential workers get a minimum starting wage of at least $25/hour in order to recruit and retain the necessary workers. 

SACRI also successfully pushed along with other housing advocates for the addition of $20 Million more to the Housing Bond to go on the November ballot for a total of $120 Million, Maigret added, noting that the coalition continues to advocate for paying adequate attention to the housing needs of older adults in the allocation of the bond funds. “Increasing affordable housing options for this population is critical,” says Maigret, stressing that census data shows that 53% of older RI renters pay more than 30% of their income on housing and studies show that 43% of extremely low-income RI renters are seniors. In the housing space, passage of bills to streamline development of Accessory Dwelling Units (ADUs) advanced by House Speaker Shekarchi along with most of his housing package was also a major win for expanding housing options and development. 

The legislature also addressed SACRI and its advocacy partners push to increase income eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program (MSP) that helps lower-income Medicare enrollees not on Medicaid afford needed healthcare and save dollars for other needed basic needs by covering Part B premiums ($176/month in 2024) as well as required co-payments for some with very low-incomes. “The budget includes a provision requiring the state to seek federal approval to increase the eligibility for the Medicare Savings Program for “qualified individuals” (currently persons with annual income between $18,312 and $20,331) up to 185% of the federal poverty level ($27,861),” says Maigret, adding that the Coalition plans to monitor the approval process and to seek additional legislation, if needed, next Legislative session to further expand the program. Maigret says that lawmakers expanded the Temporary Caregiver Insurance Program up to 8 weeks but SACRI was disappointed that siblings and grandchildren were not added to the list of persons for whom a worker could get paid leave.

“We will continue to advocate for these additions and to increase the number of weeks of leave up to 12 which is provided by most states that have such a program,” she says. And finally, SACRI will continue to advocate for additional funding for the Office of Healthy Aging to provide each of our communities with at least $10/per person age 65 and over to help support local senior centers and programs for older adults, says Maigret, as well as increasing the income cap to $50,000 for eligibility for the state Property Tax Relief Program (called the Circuit Breaker program) that provides a tax credit or refund for older homeowners and renters and those on Social Security Disability. 

FY 2025 Budget Helps State’s Nursing Homes  

James Nyberg, Executive Director  of LeadingAgeRI is pleased with the infusion of much-needed funds in the FY 2025 Budget to help support financially-distressed nursing homes as they continue to provide quality care in a very difficult environment.  “The providers are clearly in distress and we need to avoid any further closures to ensure access to care, resident choice and well-being, and support for the workforce,” he says.  “We also are grateful that the OHIC-recommended rate increases for various programs, including assisted living and adult day services, were expedited with full implementation this October.  Assisted living providers are scheduled for a 10.8% rate increase and adult day a 19.8% increase.  This will help support our home and community-based providers and those for whom they care, says Nyberg, who serves on the Advisory Task Force for the Rate Study. Lastly,

LeadingAgeRI supports the FY 25 Budget’s increase in the housing bond to $120 million, and calls for a portion of it to be used to expand safe and affordable senior housing, the lack of which is well-documented, including a recent report by the Long-Term Care Coordinating Council. According to Nyberg, one legislative priority that remains is to establish a Medicaid rate add-on for private rooms in nursing homes, since Medicaid is the primary payer for nursing home care.  “This would be an important step in helping to support a more homelike environment and resident privacy and dignity,” he says.

“RI nursing homes have been chronically underfunded since the implementation of the reimbursement methodology over thirteen (13) years ago,” charges John E. Gage, President & CEO of the Rhode Island Health Care Association, representing 62 nursing home providers. “Cuts to the annual inflation index, failure to re-base rates every three years since, and skyrocketing costs since the beginning of the pandemic have put RI nursing facilities at significant financial risk,” he says.

“The FY ’25 Budget passed the Rhode Island General Assembly includes funding for the first-ever rebase of Medicaid Rates since the inception of the Priced Based Reimbursement System back in 2013,” says Gage, noting that this increase represents a 14.5% increase with an estimated increase in revenue of $66 million beginning October 1, 2024, based on actual expenses from the most recent Medicaid Cost Reports from 2022. 

Additionally, Gage says that the budget as passed includes $10 million in State Fiscal Recovery Fund Grants to stabilize RI’s nursing facilities from July 1, 2024, through the implementation of the new rates on October 1. 

Pension changes initiated 

“Our primary task during this past General Assembly session has been to strongly support Bill H-8193, introduced by Rep. Pat Serpa, which would see the return of the COLA which was so ruthlessly slashed away in 2011. It applied to all current and future retirees, including teachers, state workers, and some municipal employees, says Sandra Paquette, representing Advocates for COLA Restoration and Pension Reform, a non-profit representing 4,700 retirees.

However, the actual pension provision in this year’s budget provides for the restoring of a compounded COLA to those who retired prior to July 1, 2012, notes Paquette. “Initially, this was a disappointment to our organization, as we had hoped for much needed relief for all who have been so detrimentally affected by Rhode Island Retirement Security Act — creating a financial crisis in the lives of so many lifetime workers. But further thought and consideration caused us to realize that the pension benefits in this year’s budget represent a huge step in a 13 year’s duration of no progress whatsoever in alleviating the injustice, she adds.

“And we are delighted that after so many years, older persons in the state retirement system who retired prior to 2012 will finally see a COLA,” says Maigret, “This is especially important for those who do not receive Social Security benefits.”

Editor’s Note: Added comments

Union thoughts…

Jesse Martin, Executive Vice President of SEIU 1199 NE and President of Rhode Island SEIU State Council said, “For months, union members of Rhode Island SEIU State Council have been working to raise awareness of issues that matter most to working Rhode Island families and, as a result, made great strides in healthcare, wages, funding, retirement, career training and more to the benefit of all. This year’s budget contains emergency funding to keep Linn Health open until August, provides funding to paraprofessional healthcare workers to help them advance in their careers, streamlines the hiring process at DHS and DCYF in order to attract new qualified candidates and finally enables domestic workers to earn the minimum wage. We thank all our elected leaders who offered their steadfast support and prioritized the needs of working Rhode Islanders.” 

The Rhode Island SEIU State Council, which is representative of all four SEIU affiliate locals, represents a variety of workers across the state, including healthcare, Department of Children and Families, Janitorial, Family Child Care, Department of Labor and Training, Security, Workforce Development and more. Nationwide, the Service Employees International Union represents over two million members.

Kathleen Gerard, Advocates for Better Care in Rhode Island, added, “”We were very glad to see the passage of the full Medicaid reimbursement increases recommended by the OHIC this session, and will continue to advocate for measures that ensure that our public funds are put towards the public good of improved wages for direct care staff and improved care for residents.”