Panel Approves Widening Health Care for Poor

A House committee on Thursday approved expansions in the Medicaid health-care program for the poor that would cost the federal government about $4 billion over five years.

The expansions would bring into the federal-state program many of the pregnant women, infants and children who are not covered and have no private health insurance.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee also unanimously approved a non-binding resolution calling for the Medicare program covering catastrophic illnesses to be made voluntary.

Rep. Michael Bilirakis (R-Fla.) called the program a “catastrophic catastrophe,” under which many elderly citizens are being forced to pay for coverage they already have through their former employers and other sources.

The measures were approved as part of a huge deficit-cutting package for fiscal year 1990.

The Medicaid expansions include one change that would require states to phase in over five years coverage of pregnant women and infants with incomes of up to 185% of the federal poverty level.