WASHINGTON — A bill that seeks to extend Medicaid coverage to working parents with sick or disabled children passed the U.S. Senate's Finance Committee in mid-July.

Sen. Chuck Grassley, R-Iowa, introduced the bill, S.321, also known as the Family Opportunity Act, with the goal of encouraging low- to middle-income parents to stay in well-paying jobs without fear of losing Medicaid coverage, Grassley said.

“The practical result under current law is that parents with disabled children are forced to drop out of the workforce or keep themselves in a low-paying job just to remain eligible for Medicaid,” he said. “In effect, the government is forcing parents to choose between family income and their children's health care.”

Under the provisions of S.321, parents would pay for Medicaid services on a sliding scale.

Seventy-four senators have co-sponsored the bill, which the full Senate now must consider. And, although the U.S. House of Representatives has not yet considered the bill, 235 House members already have indicated their support for the measure.

The full text of S.321 is available at http://thomas.loc.gov.

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