(COMMON DREAMS) Deirdre Fulton, November 10, 2015 — Will Colorado be the first state in the nation to successfully implement a single-payer healthcare system?
Voters in the Centennial State will decide next year, the secretary of state’s office announced Monday, after confirming that proponents of universal coverage had gathered enough signatures to put the plan—dubbed ‘ColoradoCare’—on the 2016 ballot.
“The ballot measure in Colorado, which will now be known as Amendment #69, is about much more than achieving healthcare justice. It is also about citizens coming together and using the democratic process to successfully achieve healthcare justice.”—Donna Smith, Health Care for All Colorado
“Colorado deserves a better option, and now they can vote on one,” said state Sen. Irene Aguilar (D-Denver), a physician and lead proponent of the effort. “Health care costs continue to rise every year, hurting Coloradans’ chances to get ahead. It’s time we get the insurance industry out of the driver’s seat and put families in charge of their health care.”