Bill > H5019

This Joint Resolution establishes a 19-member Special Legislative Commission to study and assess the feasibility of implementing an "improved Medicare-for-all-type single payer program" in Rhode Island. A single payer program is a healthcare system where a single public entity finances healthcare for all residents, aiming to control costs and ensure universal access, unlike the current multi-payer system with private insurance companies. The commission, composed of various stakeholders including physicians, community representatives, academics, state officials, and business and labor representatives, will examine the advantages and disadvantages of such a system. The commission is mandated to report its findings and recommendations to the Rhode Island Senate and House of Representatives within one year of the resolution's passage and will cease to exist two years after its passage.