Minn. Senate to vote today on health plan for poor adults

The Senate is expected to vote Thursday on a compromise plan to preserve state-run health care for more than 30,000 poor Minnesotans each month.

The bill comes out of a deal between legislative Democrats and Republican Gov. Tim Pawlenty.

The legislation would slash spending on the General Assistance Medical Care program by about three-quarters. Safety-net hospitals would get fixed payments to coordinate health care and prescriptions for patients including the homeless, veterans, addicts and the mentally ill.

General Assistance Medical Care had been scheduled to end April 1.

A House vote could come as early as next week.

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