Senate Committee Votes To Pass Medi-Cal Expansion Bill

On Monday, the state Senate Appropriations Committee voted 4-1 to approve a bill (SB 1X-1) -- by Senate President Pro Tempore Darrell Steinberg (D-Sacramento) and Sen. Ed Hernandez (D-West Covina) -- that would expand Medi-Cal coverage to individuals earning up to 138% of the federal poverty level, or about $15,415 annually. The bill potentially could add more than one million enrollees to Medi-Cal, California's Medicaid program.

• "Key Senate Panel Approves Medi-Cal Expansion" (Mishak, "PolitiCal," Los Angeles Times, 3/4).