DENVER (AP) - Democrats in the Colorado Legislature have set aside an effort to pass a bill this year creating a public health insurance option.
The prime backers of the legislation said Monday the coronavirus crisis made it impossible to ensure all relevant stakeholders including hospitals, doctors and insurance companies can be involved in the lawmaking process, The Colorado Sun reports.
Democrats pushing for the measure said the pandemic highlighted the need for the public option, which was planned to be a private insurance plan with hospital prices and other strict regulations set by the state. The initiative is a priority of Democratic Gov. Jared Polis.
“As the economic devastation unfolds and more Coloradans lose their access to employer-based insurance, it’s more clear than ever that our system is broken and that Coloradans deserve more choice and lower prices,” Democratic state Rep. Dylan Roberts said in a statement.
“The very people we need to work on it with are obviously focused on other stuff. We can’t give them one more thing to do right now,” said Democratic state Sen. Kerry Donovan, a prime sponsor of the effort.
For most people, the new coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia and death. The vast majority of people recover.
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