§ 42-9.1-2. Establishment. (a) There shall be established within the department of attorney general an office of health care advocate. The health care advocate shall be an assistant or special assistant attorney general to be appointed by the attorney general. The health care advocate is authorized to perform the following duties as the attorney general may direct:

(1) Appear as an amicus curiae in civil actions involving any health care quality standard or issue as determined by the attorney general;

(2) Intervene in or request initiation of administrative actions related to health care or health insurance by the state or any agency thereof as determined by the attorney general;

(3) Review complaints and conduct any investigations deemed by the attorney general necessary to assure quality health care delivery;

(4) Assist and cooperate with the director of any state department or person in charge of any state agency, in the investigation of any complaints, occurrences, conditions, or practices with respect to inadequacies in health care or health insurance;

(5) To take all necessary and appropriate action, including but not limited to public education, legislative advocacy, and where authorized by law to institute formal legal action, to secure and insure compliance with the provisions of titles 23 and 27 and to advocate for any changes necessary to support the goal of quality and affordable health care for all citizens of Rhode Island.

(b) For the purposes of this section, "health care quality standard" means any statute, ordinance, limitation, regulation, rule, order, license, stipulation, agreement, or permit of the state, or any agency of the state.

History of Section. (P.L. 1999, ch. 162, § 1; P.L. 1999, ch. 369, § 1; P.L. 2007, ch. 340, § 12.)