The legislation would create the Massachusetts Health Care Trust, a publicly administered entity that would manage and finance healthcare services statewide. If passed, the bill would ensure universal coverage without copays, deductibles, or out-of-pocket costs. It would replace the current mix of private and public insurers with a single system that covers all medically necessary services, including hospital care, primary care, prescription drugs, mental health services, dental care, vision care, long-term care, and reproductive health services
To finance the program, the bill proposes consolidating existing federal and state healthcare funds, including Medicare and Medicaid, and introducing new revenue streams. These would include employer and employee payroll taxes, a tax on self-employed individuals, and a tax on unearned income.
