A bill by state Rep. Spencer Swalm, R-Centennial, to expand access to affordable, limited-benefit health care took effect this month.

House Bill 1143 will provide a low-cost option to Colorado’s uninsured by creating a benefit plan with basic coverage for a low monthly premium.

Swalm says the plan is designed as an additional option for working-class employees who otherwise could not afford any health insurance at all.

“We must do more to help Coloradans afford private health care,” said Swalm, an insurance broker. “This new law is a great first step in doing just that.”

Critics, though, have argued that limited-benefit coverage can create a false sense of security for those who wind up suffering from serious health problems.

“These limited-benefit plans are the equivalent of subprime loans,” state Sen. Morgan Carroll, D-Aurora, said. “You can buy one of those plans and lose everything you own the day you get sick. We don’t need health insurance. We need health care.”

But Swalm says some limited-benefit health insurance is always better than no health insurance at all.

“There are too many people who can’t afford insurance the way it stands,” he said. “This new law will go a long way toward expanding access to quality care and health insurance.”

Currently, there are an estimated 800,000 uninsured Coloradans.

Another Swalm-sponsored health-related proposal has taken effect this month. The Young Blood Donor Bill has lowered the blood-donation eligibility age from 18 to 16.

“The passage of this bill into law is a huge victory,” Swalm said. “By increasing the donor base, we can save lives.”

Bonfils Blood Center estimates that HB 1023 will bring 2,600 additional donors a year, benefiting up to 7,800 patients annually. The bill requires donors under the age of 18 to have parental consent.