Minn. House expected to try to override Pawlenty veto
The Minnesota House is poised to vote Monday on an override of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's veto of a health care bill.
Legislators passed the measure by wide, bipartisan margins to extend General Assistance Medical Care for 16 months to thousands of low-income adults, but The Republican governor vetoed the bill.
The DFL-controlled Senate voted to override last week, but House Democrats need the help of at least three Republicans. DFL House Speaker Margaret Anderson Kelliher said she isn't sure about votes.
"People can change their mind at the last minute," Kelliher said. "They can get a political threat from their party of from their party leader. I can't control the process of what's going to happen in that member's mind. I can only do our best job possible."
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Late last week, Kelliher said she was still hoping to reach an agreement with the governor on GAMC. House Republican leaders say their caucus will stand united to sustain the veto.
Republican Rep. Matt Dean of Dellwood says he wants to keep negotiating on a compromise measure. In the meantime, Dean said GAMC enrollees will still have health care coverage.
"Whether it's in Minnesota Care or something else, these folks are going to get care this year," Dean said. "They're going to get care next year. We want to make sure they don't have to fill out any paperwork, but I think that the important thing is they get the right care at the right place at the right time in a program that's more cost effective."
GAMC is set to end April 1. Democrats argue that moving enrollees to another state program costs more and leave some people without coverage.