AUGUSTA - Gov. Paul LePage criticized the legislature's Appropriations Committee for changes to his proposed emergency budget to fund the state's Medicaid program.

Governor LePage says there has to be structural changes in the state Medicaid program that reduces its cost to what he says the state can afford. He objects to the panel seeking a solution to the current year budget and deferring action on the second budget year.

But both republicans and democrats on the committee say it will take a two thirds vote to make changes needed to pay the bills and that means compromises are needed. Medicaid runs out of appropriated funds in April. Committee members say paying the bills comes first with efforts to restructure the program going forward the next step.