Medicaid Plan Would Help Disabled Children

A bipartisan bill to provide health coverage for disabled children easily passed a Senate panel.

The proposal, passed by a voice vote in the Senate Finance Committee, would allow families with disabled children to buy into Medicaid while continuing to work. Medicaid is a state-federal health insurance plan for the poor.

Instead of facing a Medicaid cutoff when income reaches about $18,000 for a family of four, the family could earn $45,250 a year and still be able to get Medicaid, with payments on a sliding scale, backers said.

The plan must still go to the full Senate, but it has broad support.