Colorado takes aim at Walmart

A bill that would force large Colorado employers to pay 11 percent of wages toward health care costs was introduced in the legislature Wednesday.

A day earlier, a coalition of mega- retailers sued the state of Maryland over a look-alike law that passed last month.

Although naming no names, this week's House Bill 1316 is widely thought to target Wal-Mart, the world's largest retailer, which employs 25,380 in Colorado.

The bill would require firms with 3,500 or more workers to spend at least 11 percent of payroll on health care or hand over the difference to Medicaid, the state and federal program for the poor and disabled.

Affected Colorado companies would include Wal-Mart, King Soopers, Centura Health, Safeway, HCA- HealthOne, Exempla Health, IBM and the University of Denver. All government agencies are exempt.

A Wal-Mart spokesperson was not immediately available for comment.

Critics contend that Wal-Mart's health benefits force hundreds of thousands of workers and children onto Medicaid.