COLUMBIA--Organizations focused on health care for the poor and elderly say the budget recently approved by a House committee lacks adequate funding for the state's Medicaid program.

A panel of consumer advocates, health care providers and the insurance industry met Monday to discuss the state's Medicaid program, which they say is under-funded by more than $95 million.

The coalition of organizations that represent hospitals, pharmacies and nursing homes among others has asked lawmakers to increase the state's cigarette tax to help fund the Medicaid program. The tax is currently at 7 cents a pack, one of the lowest in the nation.

"This budget does not fund health care at a level anywhere near what we need to run South Carolina's basic Medicaid program," said Sue Berkowitz of the South Carolina Appleseed Legal Justice Center.