Montana Medicaid Expansion Fails on Accidental Vote

HELENA, Mont. (AP) — Gov. Steve Bullock says he will apply whatever pressure he can to resurrect a plan to use federal money to help the working poor buy insurance.

Backers of the plan said Friday that defeat was near certain after a legislator accidentally voted the wrong way.

Republicans subsequently swayed some defectors to vote with them in a do-over vote and moved the bill to a GOP-dominated committee.

It had been lurching toward approval with the backing of Democrats and some Republicans, but GOP leaders strongly oppose it.

The compromise plan uses Medicaid money to expand health care coverage through private insurers.

Bullock says "everything is on the table" to advance the plan. He did not rule out a special session or asking voters to accept the plan with a ballot measure.