Establishes a universal, comprehensive, affordable single-payer health care insurance program and help control health care costs, which would be referred to as, "the Rhode Island Comprehensive Health Insurance Program" (RICHIP).

Rhode Island Comprehensive Health Insurance Program (RICHIP)

This bill would create a new, state-run health insurance program that would cover every Rhode Island resident. Instead of people getting health insurance through their employer, buying it privately, or relying on programs like Medicaid, everyone in the state would be enrolled in one single government-run plan — often called "single-payer" health care. The program aims to provide comprehensive coverage, meaning it would be designed to cover a wide range of medical services, and to keep costs affordable for residents.

Under this system, the state government would essentially become the one entity responsible for paying health care bills, replacing the current mix of private insurance companies, employer plans, and existing public programs. Doctors, hospitals, and other health care providers would still exist and provide care, but they would be paid by this single state program rather than by multiple different insurers. The goal, as stated in the bill, is also to help control the overall cost of health care in Rhode Island.

This bill would affect virtually every Rhode Island resident, since it proposes universal coverage for all state residents. It would also significantly impact employers who currently provide health insurance to workers, private health insurance companies operating in the state, and health care providers who would now work within a new payment system. The bill has been introduced and sent to the House Corporations Committee, where it will be reviewed before any further action is taken. No funding mechanism or specific tax structure is detailed in the bill description provided.