Pawlenty to Sign GAMC Compromise

The Minnesota Legislature has approved a compromise plan to fund the state's General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC) program and awaits the governor's signature just a week before the program's funding was set to expire. Governor Tim Pawlenty had forced negotiations by vetoing an earlier bill because it set the program on a path to unsustainability. Without a compromise, the veto would have resulted in a majority of those enrolled in GAMC to transition to the state's MinnesotaCare program that provides health insurance to low-to-moderate-income individuals and families, but with premiums and co-pays and limited hospital coverage.

As with all compromises, some are not happy. Cafeteria Catholic state representative and gubernatorial candidate, Paul Thissen noted his disapproval of the attempt to pull back $250 million of spending:

Now we are left with an unworkable bill and we all know it. Starvation is not a path to meaningful and lasting reform.

Of course, it was an unworkable bill that started the program down the "starvation" path.

(HHT: BringMeTheNews)