A bill to expand Medicaid to about 17,600 low income state residents will move ahead to the full Senate despite a negative committee vote on Thursday.

The Senate Appropriations Committee voted 4-1 against the bill and removed money to administer a medical savings account that participants would pay into. The savings account was included in the version of the bill passed by the Senate Labor, Health and Social Services Committee on Wednesday.

The chair of that committee, Sen.  Charles Scott (R-Casper) says the savings accounts would help keep costs down by giving participants a reason to refrain from needless medical procedures.

Some critics of the accounts say they could be a deal-breaker for getting approval from the plan from the federal government. But supporters of the accounts point to an Indiana plan that got federal approval earlier this week and included such accounts.

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