Opinion ID: 2264277
Heading Depth: 2
Heading Rank: 3

Heading: Rhode Island's Medicaid Program

Text: At issue before this Court is whether § 9-19-34.1's reference to any state income disability act is intended to include Medicaid benefits as one of the collateral source payments that defendants may introduce into evidence to offset their liability to plaintiff. Rhode Island's medical assistance program, commonly known as Medicaid, is designed to assist low income persons with the cost of medical care. G.L.1956 § 40-8-1. [6] To be eligible for Medicaid assistance, a person must have insufficient income and resources and fall within one of five categories of recipients. Section 40-8-3. In relevant part, § 40-8-3 provides as follows: Eligibility requirements.  Medical care benefits shall be provided under this chapter to at least any person (1) who has attained the age of sixty-five (65) years, or (2) who has no vision or whose vision is so defective as to prevent performance of ordinary activities for which eyesight is essential, or (3) who is at least eighteen (18) years of age and who is permanently and totally disabled, or (4) who is under the age of eighteen (18) years, and who has been deprived of parental support or care by reason of the death, continued absence from the home, unemployment or physical or mental incapacity of a parent (called hereafter `dependent child') and who is living with a relative in a place of residence maintained by one or more of such relatives as his or her or their own home, or is in foster boarding care, or (5) the relative as defined in subsection (8) of § 40-8-2, with whom any such dependent child is living   .