Democratic state lawmakers are pressing ahead with plans to implement the new federal health care program in Colorado, ignoring a proposal from Republicans to join a handful of states that want to form an interstate compact to come up with their own programs.
Longmont Democrat and Senate President Brandon Shaffer said Tuesday that the state is required to set up health care exchanges this year to allow individuals and small-business owners to pool their purchasing power, allowing one-stop comparison shopping.
Senate Minority Leader Mike Kopp said the U.S. Constitution allows states to form interstate compacts that could be approved by Congress and become law without President Barack Obama’s signature.
Obama has told governors that states could come up with their own plans as long as they met federal objectives.
