A special nine-member commission tasked with recommending whether New Hampshire should expand Medicaid to an estimated 49,000 poor adults is continuing to work to meet an Oct. 15 reporting deadline.

The panel has been gathering information from providers, experts and the public before debating whether New Hampshire should expand Medicaid to include adults under age 65 who earn up to 138 percent of federal poverty guidelines, which is about $15,000 for a single adult.

New Hampshire's current Medicaid program covers low-income children, parents with nondisabled children under 18, pregnant women, senior citizens and people with disabilities.

If New Hampshire were to expand the program, the federal government would pick up the full cost for the first three years and 90% over the long haul.

The panel meets Tuesday afternoon.