Minn. budget tour visits big safety-net hospital

Associated Press

Last update: July 3, 2009 - 7:27 AM

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ST. PAUL, Minn. - A Minnesota legislative tour intended to assess how state budget cuts will affect health care programs arrives at the state's biggest safety-net hospital on Friday.

The House Health and Human Services Policy and Oversight Committee will be at Hennepin County Medical Center in Minneapolis.

The hospital stands to lose millions of dollars in state aid when a publicly subsidized insurance program ends in March. Gov. Tim Pawlenty has eliminated the General Assistance Medical Care program, which provides coverage to 30,000 low-income adults.

Lawmakers say they will try to restore the program in whole or part when the Legislature reconvenes in 2010.

The panel's tour includes hospital visits in Brainerd, Thief River Falls, Detroit Lakes, Bemidji, Cambridge and Cloquet.

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