3 states pursue public option for health coverage as feds balk Michael Ollove, Stateline Modern Healthcare Illustration / Getty Images President Joe Biden has not yet delivered on his campaign promise to create a national public health insurance option, but three states have moved forward with plans of their own. Colorado and Nevada this year passed public option plans—government-run health insurance plans—that are set to launch in 2023 and 2026, respectively. They join Washington state, which enacted its law in 2019 and went live with its public option in January. Proponents hope a more affordable alternative will attract residents without health insurance. "What we've seen is that when people can afford health insurance they get insured and get access to health care they wouldn't otherwise have access to," said Nevada Senate Majority Leader Nicole Cannizzaro, a Democrat who sponsored her state's bill.