House panel OKs Medicaid change for new health law

SPRINGFIELD — An Illinois House committee has approved a plan to expand the state’s Medicaid program for low-income residents. The plan is necessary to implement the national health care law next year.

The Human Services Appropriations Committee voted 9-5 Monday to make up to 600,000 uninsured residents eligible for Medicaid when President Barack Obama’s health care makeover takes effect.

The federal government would pay all costs of the new Medicaid recipients for three years starting in 2014. The U.S. subsidy would drop to 90 percent by 2020.

The measure moves to the floor but the current General Assembly’s session ends Wednesday and the legislation must get Senate approval as well. The bill might have to wait until the new Legislature is sworn in.