Dayton Criticizes Minn. House Health Care Bill

ST. PAUL (AP) - Gov. Mark Dayton is criticizing a House health care budget bill for counting on federal permission to cut Medicaid spending.

The Democratic governor said Tuesday that it was "fantasy island" to bank on $300 million in savings from a federal health care waiver that might not come through.

Dayton says the proposal is "not responsible."

GOP Rep. Jim Abeler of Anoka, the bill's sponsor, says the state has to change the way it does business to avoid even deeper cuts. He says the waiver has a good chance of winning approval.

Abeler's bill would cut projected health and welfare spending by $1.6 billion over the next two years, in part by slashing aid to programs for seniors and disabled people and eliminating MinnesotaCare health care for 7,200 adults.

(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)