R.I. Gen. Laws § 40-8.3-1: Declaration of purpose.

The legislature hereby finds and declares that preservation of the ability of the private acute-care hospital system of the state to continue to support an increasing uncompensated care burden is of critical importance to the public health and welfare of the citizens of Rhode Island and that implementation of § 1923 of the Social Security Act, 42 U.S.C. § 1396r-4, which permits the federal government to share in the provision of payments to hospitals that provide a significant amount of uncompensated care, is an effective way for the state to assist the hospitals in continuing to provide uncompensated care.