Associated Press 

ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Minnesota officials are arranging health care coverage for 28,000 patients whose state-paid health insurance plan is slated to end on March 1.

The Human Services Department announced the plan on its Web site Friday.

Human Services Commissioner Cal Ludeman says the agency will automatically enroll those now in the General Assistance Medical Care program into the MinnesotaCare program for the working poor.

Ludeman says counties will pay their premiums for up to six months. After that, patients will have to renew their coverage and pay premiums averaging $5 a month themselves.

Gov. Tim Pawlenty eliminated funding for the General Assistance Medical Care program, which covers very low-income adults, as part of a deficit fix earlier this year.

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