Monica Neronha with Blue Cross Blue Shield says Rhode Island needs to spend more time evaluating and coordinating its current hospital system before it makes any changes to how outsiders can buy local medical centers.

"We believe our system needs to be right sized, local and must provide high quality affordable care to Rhode Islanders," Neronha says.

Neronha says Blue Cross would support the legislation with some amendments including one that would reduce the waiting period from three years to six months between hospital purchases; and a regulation forcing the hospitals to negotiate individually with health insurance companies instead of as an entire system.

Representative Brian Patrick Kennedy, the chair of the House Committee on Corporations, called the proposals unbelievable.

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