A few weeks ago, most House Republicans supported a bi-partisan bill to rescue General Assistance Medical Care (GAMC), calling it “a great step forward.” Within hours of their vote, Gov. Pawlenty vetoed the bill, which would have saved health care for 38,000 of the poorest and sickest Minnesotans, including 8,000 veterans. On March 1, those same Republicans decided it was more important to protect the governor than to protect vulnerable residents and veterans. Not one Republican voted to override Pawlenty’s veto. When it became clear there would be no Republican votes, the DFL tabled the override measure to keep its options open for another attempt later.

The failure to override was tragic news for labor, faith and veterans groups who held a “Vote Yes Again Vigil” outside the House Chamber. Now, poor people will die after Pawlenty eliminates their health care on April 1.

Our union will continue the fight to restore medical care for the poor and save AFSCME jobs at hospitals. This will require a solution that raises revenue fairly through one or more of these sources: a sin tax on alcoholic beverages, an increase in the health care provider tax, and/or a surcharge on HMOs and hospitals, including those that don’t provide charity care.

If nothing is done to save GAMC this year, HCMC will lose $43 million, Regions will lose $24 million, and Fairview will lose $14.7 million. That’s because these hospitals are required by law to provide free care to the uninsured.

If patients can’t pay for care, hospitals can’t pay their employees. That means hundreds of hospital workers will lose their jobs, starting with 200 layoffs at HCMC.