The state of Minnesota began the switch to Medicaid today.

Starting March 1, all General Assistance Medical Care enrollees were automatically moved to the new program. There were approximately 32,000 GAMC enrollees who made the switch, according to Gov. Mark Dayton’s press release on the expansion of Medicaid.

Over the course of the next six months, roughly 51,000 enrollees in the MinnesotaCare program (another low-income health program) will make the switch, and about 12,000 uninsured Minnesotans.

Medicaid, the low-income health care program for adults without children, is called Medical Assistance in Minnesota.

In his first official act in the governor’s office, Gov. Mark Dayton’s approved the move when he signed an executive order on Jan. 5. That signature opened the door for $1.2 billion in federal funds to help provide health care access to 95,000 poor Minnesotans.

Former governor Tim Pawlenty projected the switch to Medicaid wouldn’t begin until October of this year.