The proposed bill, designated as sHB7101, establishes a commission to study and recommend the implementation of a "HUSKY for All Single-Payer Universal Health Care Program" in the state, set to take effect on July 1, 2025. The program aims to provide universal health care to all residents by consolidating existing health insurance programs under a single entity, eliminating coverage limits and cost-sharing requirements. The commission will include various stakeholders, such as state officials, healthcare advocates, and representatives from the insurance industry, labor unions, and academia, with the Commissioner of Health Strategy serving as chairperson. The bill allocates a budget of $500,000 for the Office of Health Strategy (OHS) in fiscal year 2026 to support this study.

The commission is tasked with conducting a comprehensive analysis of current healthcare spending, potential funding methodologies, and the economic implications of transitioning to a single-payer system. It will also assess the number of uninsured or underinsured residents and the impact on the labor market, with findings due by January 1, 2026, after which the commission will dissolve. Notable legal language changes include the insertion of new provisions regarding the appointment of representatives by the Commissioner of Health Strategy and the deletion of certain structural and authority-related provisions of the commission. Additionally, the bill clarifies language by replacing "Commissioner of the Office Health Strategy" with "Commissioner of Health Strategy" and modifying references to "executive director's" to "commissioner's." There are no anticipated municipal impacts or costs projected beyond fiscal year 2026.