WHAT THE NEW LAW SAYS

Recent legislation to expand medical coverage for Missouri children will mean more working families have access to affordable health care.

Gov. Mel Carnahan has approved legislation that expands Medicaid coverage to some 90,000 children. The new coverage takes effect July 1 when the next fiscal budget begins. Qualified applicants could begin signing up for the insurance in July, with coverage set to begin near Aug. 28.

The expanded coverage provides families with more access to preventive care services for their children. The law extends coverage under the Department of Social Services to include uninsured children younger than 19 from families whose income is within 300 percent of the federal poverty level.

A family of four with an income of $49,000 would qualify for Medicaid coverage under the expanded income guidelines.

Families have to meet several other criteria to qualify for coverage and could not turn down "affordable" health care provided by an employer. If their insurance premiums are less than or equal to 133 percent of the state's health care plan -- $87 monthly -- a family would not qualify for Medicaid coverage.