AUGUSTA – Top Democratic lawmakers are calling on supporters and critics of the Dirigo Health plan’s subsidized insurance to come forward with suggestions for improvements.

“We and these stakeholders and the general public have been talking for three years about finding ways to increase access to affordable health care for all Mainers,” House Speaker John Richardson, D-Brunswick, said in a statement.

“We have a plan on the books, and it is working. But it can be made better. We are asking those who have supported the plan, and those who have criticized it, to step up and tell us how to make it better,” Richardson said.

The two-year-old Dirigo program is designed to provide universal access to health coverage for uninsured and underinsured Mainers. Part of its funding comes from savings resulting from voluntary spending caps by hospitals and other cost-control efforts. Implementation of the plan, championed by Democratic Gov. John Baldacci, has been contentious, and business groups have challenged a $44 million assessment on insurers.

In his State of the State address on Jan. 18, Baldacci held open a door for revamping the insurance plan.

Recently, lawmakers have begun to review a bill that could enable the board “to develop new models to better serve the uninsured and continue to provide an affordable, quality comprehensive health benefit for Maine’s small businesses, sole proprietors and families,” according to Robert McAfee, the Dirigo board chairman. Last month, without calling for elimination of the program, Republican Sen. Peter Mills of Cornville said Dirigo should offer subsidies to more than just one insurance carrier in order to promote market competition.

Mills, who is seeking the Republican nomination for governor, also advocated limiting enrollment to people who have not been insured for at least a half-year.

On Thursday, Richardson and Senate President Beth Edmonds, D-Freeport, invited – or challenged – Anthem Insurance, hospitals and others to come forth with plans for amending DirigoChoice, the state’s health insurance product.

The legislative leaders set a March 10 deadline.

“Dirigo is working for thousands of Maine people. But we also recognize it is a work in progress,” said Edmonds. “There is a sense of urgency to put affordable, quality health care within reach of every Mainer. If we don’t do this now, this session, when will we do it?”

House Republican leader David Bowles of Sanford said Friday GOP lawmakers had not been asked to participate.