Gov. Mike Beebe on Friday morning signed a law that ensures the continuation of funding for the state's private-option Medicaid expansion through June 2015.
The state House of Representatives approved Senate Bill 111, which is now Act 257, on Tuesday after rejecting the measure in four consecutive vote in February. That chamber passed 76-24 the bill to authorize the use of $915 million in federal Medicaid dollars to buy private health insurance for more than 100,000 poor Arkansans in a plan approved last year.
The Senate passed the same measure by a 27-8 vote Feb. 20.
The expanded Medicaid program extends private-option eligibility to adults with incomes of up to 138 percent of the poverty level — for example, $16,105 for an individual and $32,913 for a family of four.
Beebe said previously that he would sign the measure.