Schwarzenegger warns the healthcare bill could cost California billions more

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger on Monday issued a tepid response to Congressional passage of health care reform. Earlier this year he warned the federal plan could cost California an extra $4 billion a year to implement.

Schwarzenegger said he has “always supported the need for comprehensive health reform” – but he worries that this plan could force states to spend more money on health care without the federal funds to do it.

“In order for health care reform to succeed, states must either have the flexibility to live within the revenues that are available to them or the federal resources to fully fund its mandates,” the Governor warned in a written statement.

Earlier this year, Schwarzenegger estimated that health care reform would cost California an extra $4 billion a year.

Schwarzenegger’s own attempt to reform California’s heath care system a couple years ago failed – largely because it was expected to add billions in costs to the state budget.