Bill > S647

This bill proposes to establish a framework for evaluating and potentially implementing a "single payer health care" system in Massachusetts, which is defined as a publicly financed system offering universal access to healthcare through a unified plan, aiming to simplify administration and budget healthcare spending. Key provisions include defining a "single payer benchmark" as the estimated total cost of providing healthcare to all Massachusetts residents under such a system in the previous year, and mandating that the Center for Health Information and Analysis (CHIA) monitor and evaluate single payer systems nationally and internationally, and report annually on the comparison between this benchmark and actual state healthcare spending, indicating potential savings and expanded access. Furthermore, if the CHIA determines that the single payer benchmark has outperformed actual state healthcare spending and its growth by the start of fiscal year 2016, the Health Policy Commission (referred to as "the board" and "the commission" in the text) must submit a "Single Payer Health Care Implementation Plan" to the Legislature by June 30, 2017, which would include legislation to enact a single payer system offering comprehensive and affordable coverage for all residents, regardless of their financial or health status.