HARRISBURG — A bill authorizing state funding for the Children's Health Insurance Program is headed to the governor.

The Senate voted 43-6 Monday evening to continue funding for the program. The bill had already passed the House.

CHIP covers more than 176,000 children in Pennsylvania, providing health insurance for children whose families earn too much to qualify for Medicaid.

Democratic Gov. Tom Wolf on Monday praised the state legislature for passing the bill and called on their counterparts in the federal government to approve funding at that level. About 90 percent of the $450 million that supports the state’s CHIP program comes from the federal government, according to the governor’s office.

Congress is nearly three months past its deadline for approving CHIP funding, and Mr. Wolf has warned that the state could run out of money for CHIP by the end of February if Congress does not act quickly.

“Our kids and families deserve peace of mind about their ability to go to the doctor and get care,” he said Monday.

First Published: December 11, 2017, 10:43 p.m.