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Arkansas Senate approves bill to continue Medicaid expansion

Credit: Jessica Amis

LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) - An effort to continue Arkansas' Medicaid expansion another year has cleared a major hurdle in the state Legislature, a day after the Trump administration said the state could impose a work requirement on the program.

The state Senate on Tuesday approved by a 27-2 vote the budget bill for Medicaid and the expansion program, which uses federal and state funds to purchase private insurance for low-income residents. The measure needed at least 27 votes in the Senate and now heads to the House.

The bill advanced a day after Medicaid officials approved Arkansas' request to require thousands on the program to work or volunteer to keep coverage. Arkansas is the third state allowed to impose work requirements on Medicaid participants.

More than 285,000 people are on the expansion program.

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