DENVER, Colo. (KKCO) - Governor Bill Ritter and several other Democratic lawmakers unveiled their new health care plan Thursday.

Ritter announced his health care package, which includes 11 new bills and an executive order, in front of the Colorado Health Foundation, which recently gave the state a D+ on health care.

Highlights of the plan include:
-An executive order requiring state agencies to share citizenship and identity information electronically. Ritter says this will make it easier for low income Coloradans to enroll in Medicaid and CBHP programs.

-Bills requiring insurance companies to use a standardized application form and use standardized billing codes. Ritter says this will make forms easier to fill out and less time consuming for consumers, and will help doctors spend less time on paperwork and more time with patients.

-A bill that would ban insurance from setting rates for individual plans based on a person's gender. Ritter says studies have shown women pay almost 40 percent more than men for the same type of health coverage, and this bill will level the playing field.

"I hope we ultimately get thoughtful national reform in this state," says Ritter. "But we have not and we will not wait for Washington. I believe we can't afford to."

Republican lawmakers in both the House and Senate say they haven't had an opportunity to look at the Governor's plan in depth yet.

State Senator Shawn Mitchell, (R) Broomfield, tells 11 News he believes important health care reforms can be accomplished at the state level, but called the Governor's plan "two or three small ball proposals being hyped as bold health care reform."

"I believe it's a longer term project than Bill Ritter's last months in office," says Mitchell. "He should focus on balancing the state budget and not trying to break the china on his way out the door."