State Democrat Backs Off Universal Health Care Plan
DENVER (AP) - An ambitious plan to make Colorado the first state with universal health care has been spiked by its Democratic sponsor.
Sen. Irene Aguilar of Denver backed off her sweeping bill to have Colorado abandon Medicaid and Medicare entirely and move forward with single-payer health care. The change would have required a big series of new taxes, and Aguilar conceded Friday that she didn't have enough support to get it done.
The Senate approved a separate bill Friday, to expand health assistance to needy adults with a Medicaid expansion. That's part of the new federal health care law.
Gov. John Hickenlooper has said that Colorado will expand the health assistance.
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