As I expected, the Minnesota House of Representatives failed to override Pawlenty’s veto of a bill that would have restored General Assistance Medical Care, the health care program for the state’s poorest citizens. Most of the House Republican moderates who participated in the only successful override of a Pawlenty veto have retired or have been defeated in the last election. And the few remaining are loathe to side with Democrats in an election cycle that strongly favors Republicans. A procedural maneuver allows Democrats to make another attempt, but it seems increasingly unlikely that GAMC will be saved before funding runs out on April 1.
It’s worth noting again that almost everyone eligible for GAMC would be eligible for Medicaid under the Senate health care bill. If Minnesota took advantage of the bill’s early expansion provision, these individuals could be enrolled in Medicaid in a matter of months. I’m not sure how closely our congressional delegation is paying attention to the GAMC fight, but they need to understand how a “yes” vote could almost immediately improve people’s lives.
