States like California and New York have made headlines both for taking steps toward creating a single-payer healthcare system and failing to turn momentum into actionable legislation, according to a Feb. 21 National Review report.
Including California and New York, 21 states have taken steps to try to create or successfully implement a single-payer system.
In New York, lawmakers pitched a system funded by $250 billion in new taxes, according to the National Review. California similarly pitched a single-payer system proposal and a matching funding bill, but efforts fell flat Feb. 1.
Two states — Colorado and Nevada — are slated to launch public options in 2023 and 2026, respectively, according to NPR.
These states are carefully watching early adopters of single-payer healthcare systems, like Washington state, who are seeing hospitals resist attempts to build out provider networks for single-payer members. Both states have guidelines in place that would require hospital participation.