Rhode Island Governor asked CMS to approve a waiver that would allow the state to change much of its Medicaid program from an open-ended entitlement with no limit on spending to a capped budget with fixed expenditure limits as part of a plan to address looming budget deficits and curb rising Medicaid costs, two problems that are bedeviling many states.

Rhode Island Governor's request to CMS last month for a waiver to set limits on state Medicaid spending has "alarmed" congressional Democrats and low-income advocacy groups who said the proposal would reduce access to nursing homes, raise out-of-pocket expenses for low-income families and limit eligibility and enrollment of residents in the program.

A new Rhode Island law may give the state's legislators a real advantage over their constituents when it comes to health insurance.

Rhode Island Gov. Don Carcieri (R) has offered a proposal to save taxpayers $67 million by overhauling Rite Care, the state's Medicaid affordable health insurance program.