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DENVER \u2013 As abortion supporters on Monday celebrated a U.S. Supreme Court ruling protecting access, fears swirled that a state ballot effort to implement a single-payer health care system could throw rights into jeopardy in Colorado.<\/p>\n
The Supreme Court<\/a> ruled 5-3, striking down parts of a restrictive Texas law that could have reduced the number of abortion clinics in the state. The high court decision essentially prohibits most abortion restrictions across the country.<\/p>\n But Colorado may have a unique problem, according to abortion supporters.<\/p>\n Amendment 69<\/a> asks voters this November to eliminate private insurance for a 10 percent \u201cpremium tax\u201d so that the state can cover health expenses. Under the initiative, employers would share employees\u2019 costs by paying 6.67 percent of the 10 percent income tax, leaving employees with a 3.33 percent responsibility. After seeking a waiver under the Affordable Care Act, federal dollars also would be made available.<\/p>\n Abortion supporters worry that if voters back the initiative, they would unintentionally outlaw abortion in many instances, thanks to a 1984 voter-approved state constitutional amendment that prohibits public funding of abortions in Colorado.<\/p>\n \u201cAmendment 69 would expand access to common healthcare services, but it would be at the expense of access to abortion care,\u201d wrote the board of NARAL Pro-Choice Colorado.<\/p>\n \u201cWhile we strongly support the goal of improved healthcare for all Coloradans, and many of our members individually support the idea of universal health care, Amendment 69, in not providing guarantees to abortion access, means it is not truly universal.\u201d<\/p>\n