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Article snippet: State lawmakers seeking to rein in health care costs are facing formidable pushback from hospitals, foreshadowing the obstacles a Democratic president and Congress would also face if they try to follow through on bold promises for health reform. As Democratic presidential candidates argue about the merits of “Medicare for All” versus a public option, states are pursuing the latter and getting hammered by hospitals and insurance companies that would stand to lose money under those changes. The next battle will occur in Colorado, where the state’s Democratic governor and legislature are hoping to pass a public health plan that would demand lower rates from hospitals and eat into insurers’ profits. “Needless to say, the hospital industry within the state has reacted fairly aggressively and hostilely to the proposal,” said Billy Wynne, a lobbyist who has worked with Colorado on developing a public option. “I think that the political dynamics here are similar to Washington in the sense that you’re going to have very, very vehement and well-resourced industry opposition to anything that includes a government role in what are otherwise private commercial negotiations,” he added. Colorado’s public option would be managed by private insurers, but the government would determine how much hospitals and providers get paid for their services. Those rates would likely be less than what they receive now from commercial plans, like those offered by employers. Colorado estimate... Link to the full article to read more