Colorado Gov. Bill Ritter (D) on Tuesday signed a package of health care bills, including one (SB 242) that seeks to eliminate health disparities, the Denver Rocky Mountain News reports. The bill calls for the creation of an Office of Health Disparities and two advisory councils to address racial, ethnic and rural health disparities (Washington, Denver Rocky Mountain News, 5/16).

According to bill sponsor state Sen. Peter Groff (D), blacks, Hispanics and rural residents in the state have higher rates of diseases and are dying at faster rates than whites and city urban residents. The new office will assess the disparities and develop solutions, according to the Denver Post.

Ritter said that eliminating racial and rural disparities in diabetes alone could save the state $80 million annually (Brown, Denver Post, 5/16). "These new laws make good health care sense and good fiscal sense," he added (Denver Rocky Mountain News, 5/16).

Ritter also signed into law a bill that will extend Medicaid coverage until age 21 for foster children after they leave the system. About 1,400 young adults will be eligible for Medicaid under the new law (Denver Post, 5/16).