Albany (WSYR-TV) - The United States Senate is expected to officially vote on the healthcare bill first thing Thursday morning, but a group of state lawmakers from across the country are now threatening to sue over the legislation, saying the proposed bill is unconstitutional.

Attorneys general in seven states have threatened to file a lawsuit challenging the deal and whether it is legal. New York State Senate republican leader Dean Skelos has also asked Governor Paterson and Attorney General Andrew Cuomo to join that proposed suit.

Skelos and others say the bill is illegal because of the rumored deal between Democrats and a Nebraska Senator to get the legislation passed.

Neither Paterson nor Cuomo have commented on whether they would consider legal action. We tried reaching out to New York’s senators today for comment but they've been in session.

Paterson has already said that he is concerned that this bill not only expands Medicaid but shifts too much of the burden of paying for it onto the states. Not only that, but the Governor says the bill worsens an already bad situation by retroactively taking away federal Medicaid assistance provided through the stimulus. This may cost the state between three and four hundred million dollars, according to the Governor.

If approved, the Senate's version of the healthcare bill will have to be combined with the House bill. There are major differences so it's likely it'll still take weeks before it's ready for the President's signature.

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