The bill titled "An Act establishing Medicare for All in Massachusetts" proposes the creation of the Massachusetts Health Care Trust, which aims to provide universal access to quality health care services for all residents of the Commonwealth without any patient cost sharing, such as co-insurance, co-payments, or deductibles. The Trust will be responsible for the collection and disbursement of funds necessary to deliver comprehensive health care services, including dental, behavioral health, and long-term care, while ensuring that financial barriers based on employment status, ethnicity, or geographic location are eliminated. Governance of the Trust will be overseen by a Board of Trustees composed of 29 members, including state officials and appointees from various health care and advocacy organizations, with an emphasis on diverse representation and public awareness processes for appointments.
To fund the Trust, the bill introduces dedicated health care taxes on employers, employees, and self-employed individuals, replacing traditional insurance premiums and out-of-pocket expenses. It establishes a Health Care Trust Fund to manage these revenues, which will be used for payments to health care providers and administrative costs. The bill mandates the implementation of the Trust within one year of enactment, including the establishment of a governing board and the hiring of an Executive Director to oversee operations. Overall, the legislation aims to create a single public payer system for health care in Massachusetts, streamlining costs and improving access to services while ensuring comprehensive coverage for eligible participants.