THE ASSOCIATED PRESS

RALEIGH

A legislative health-care committee wrapped up a year of work yesterday by urging colleagues to continue helping counties pay for their share of the state’s Medicaid costs and ban smoking in most public places.

The House Select Committee on Health Care also asked next year’s General Assembly to expand health insurance for children and take another look at an insurance pool for chronically ill patients without access to affordable coverage.

A co-chairman of the committee, Rep. Thomas Wright, D-New Hanover, said he is personally opposed to broad tobacco restrictions but said that the panel’s recommendations were "reasonable and they are realistic."

The committee, comprised of about 50 of the House’s 120 members, was formed in November 2005 and has examined ways to make health care more affordable, accessible and safe.

The panel recommended 16 changes before this year’s legislative session in May, including a proposal to cap spending by counties on Medicaid at 2005-06 levels. Legislators financed the recommendation by including $27.4 million in this year’s state budget, though House and Senate lead-ers differed about whether it was a permanent cap or a one-time benefit to counties. (more…)