Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman is holding firm in his opposition to a proposed Medicaid expansion that could come as a result of the federal health care law.

The governor's Medicaid chief said Wednesday that her agency plans to oppose a legislative bill that would extend coverage to thousands of new recipients.

Vivianne Chaumont says she will testify that the expansion is unsustainable and unaffordable.

In an op-ed article published Wednesday in several Nebraska newspapers, Heineman argues that the federal money for Medicaid-expansion states still comes at taxpayer expense.

Several Republican governors have changed course recently and agreed to expand Medicaid.

The list includes Governors Jan Brewer of Arizona, Rick Scott of Florida, Rick Snyder of Michigan and Chris Christie of New Jersey.