R.I. Gen. Laws § 40.1-3-14: Policy as to reimbursement of private hospitals.

It is the policy of this state that the general assembly appropriate annually a sum to partially reimburse the voluntary general hospitals, such as Rhode Island hospital, and Providence lying-in hospital, for the cost of maintaining hospital facilities available for the care of citizens of this state requiring hospitalization as public ward patients for acute medical or surgical conditions or maternity care.