COLUMBIA (AP) -- South Carolina lawmakers have approved plans that would avoid all cuts in health and medical programs.
With a 96-6 vote Monday, the House approved a measure that uses $173.6 million in federal Medicaid money to eliminate planned reductions for the Department of Disabilities and Special Needs, prescription drugs and other programs.
Agency supporters had worried that children with autism, people with spinal cord injuries and other disabilities could lose all services.
House Ways and Means Committee Chairman Dan Cooper says the extra money depends on final action from the U.S. House and Senate on a plan to help the states with budget problems.
The federal money is added to the $5 billion in state taxpayer dollars in the spending plan.
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