See the full report here.

Health insurance premiums for Rhode Island working families have increased 83 percent from 2000 to 2007. At the same time, the median earnings of Rhode Island workers increased 17 percent, from $26,164 to $30,566. That means health insurance premiums for Rhode Island working families have risen 4.9 times faster than wages.

"When just a couple of companies hold a near-monopoly, they not only set the prices, but they also make the rules and call the shots," said Peter Asen, Associate Director of Ocean State Action. "Private health insurance companies have proven year after year they'll do whatever they want when left to their own devices. It's time for real comprehensive reform that includes regulation and the choice of a public health insurance plan so we are no longer at the mercy of the private health insurers in Rhode Island.""Our health care system is so complex, and costs so much, yet doesn't provide patients with the quality of care they desperately need," said U.S. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse, a member of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee. "If we can make the system work better for everyone, we can cut costs, save lives, and improve the quality of the health care we receive - a critical step toward ensuring that all Americans have health care they can afford."

"We can no longer afford to rely on a system of fractured health coverage, limited choice and soaring costs." said Rep. Jim Langevin, who recently reintroduced the American Health Benefits Program Act, his universal health care plan. "The time has come for comprehensive reform that creates a truly inclusive, affordable and efficient health care model and guarantees coverage for all. I look forward to continuing to work with Ocean State Action and its HCAN partners as we work to achieve this crucial goal."