HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3448        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1163

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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PRESENTED BY:

Kate Hogan

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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:

The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying bill:

An Act establishing a special commission to study the implementation of single payer health care in the Commonwealth.

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PETITION OF:

HOUSE DOCKET, NO. 3448        FILED ON: 1/18/2019

HOUSE  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  .  No. 1163

The Commonwealth of Massachusetts

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In the One Hundred and Ninety-First General Court
(2019-2020)

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An Act establishing a special commission to study the implementation of single payer health care in the Commonwealth.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Court assembled, and by the authority of the same, as follows:
 

SECTION 1.  There shall be a special commission governed by section 2A of chapter 4 of the General Laws to conduct an investigation and study of the methods, cost and feasibility of establishing single payer health care in the commonwealth.

The commission shall consist of 1 member who shall be appointed by the senate president, who shall serve as co-chair; 1 member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the senate; 1 member who shall be appointed by the speaker of the house of representatives, who shall serve as co-chair; 1 member who shall be appointed by the minority leader of the house of representatives;  the house and senate chairs of the joint committee on health care financing; the secretary of the executive office of health and human services or designee; the secretary of the executive office of administration and finance or designee; the commissioner of the Massachusetts division of insurance or designee; a representative of the health policy commission; a representative of the center for health information and analysis; a representative of the commonwealth health insurance connector authority; a representative of the Massachusetts Health and Hospital Association, a representative of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Massachusetts, a representative of the Massachusetts Association of Health Plans, a representative of Health Care for All; and 2 persons who shall be appointed by the governor, 1 of whom shall be a representative of employers, and 1 of whom shall be a health care economist. Members shall not receive compensation for their services but may receive reimbursement for the reasonable expenses incurred in carrying out their responsibilities as members of the commission. The joint committee on health care financing may furnish reasonable staff and other support for the work of the commission.

The commission shall conduct an investigation and study regarding the implementation of single payer health care in the commonwealth.  The commission shall review: (i) alternative models of single payer health care systems, including, but not limited to, covered services, payment methodologies, health system planning and regulation, and financing and estimated costs, including federal financing; (ii) costs of implementation; (iii) methods of paying the cost of single payer health care; (iv) fiscal impact on individuals and businesses; (v) impact on the current private and public insurance system; (vi) effects on the state economy; (vii) effects on provider reimbursement; (viii) the cost of  a single payer health care system compared with actual total health care expenditures in the commonwealth; (ix) effects on access, quality of care and utilization; (x) necessary actions by the commonwealth to ensure compliance with federal law, including any federal waiver requests; (xi) any other matters the commission deems relevant to the review of single payer health care; (xii) and the experiences of other government entities with converting to a single payer health care system

The commission shall file a report of its findings and recommendations, together with drafts of legislation necessary to carry those recommendations into effect, by filing the same with the clerks of the senate and the house of representatives, the chairs of the senate and house committees on ways and means, and the senate and house chairs of the joint committee on health care financing not later than June 30, 2020.