Washington, D.C. – Today, Colorado U.S. Senator Michael Bennet released the statement below following Governor Jared Polis’ State of the State address, in which the governor called for greater transparency in the health care industry and a public option to better serve Coloradans. Bennet, who has long fought to increase transparency and lower health care costs, is the author of the Medicare-X Choice Act – legislation that would build on the Medicare framework to create a public insurance plan, allowing Americans to choose between an existing private insurance plan or a public one, and increase competition in the marketplace. Bennet has also authored bipartisan federal legislation to end surprise medical bills to protect consumers from this egregious practice regardless of their current insurance.
“We’ve all heard tragic stories about how soaring prescription drug prices or high premiums have put Coloradans in the impossible position of choosing between health care for their families and paying their bills,” said Bennet. “I applaud Governor Polis’ commitment to expanding health care options for more Colorado families with a plan to drive down costs, inject more competition into the marketplace through a public option, improve prescription drug transparency, and end surprise medical bills for Coloradans with state health plans. The governor and I share a commitment to solving our state’s health care challenges and I look forward to continuing to work together to keep our state on the right path.”