TOPEKA, Kan. (AP) — The Kansas Senate has rejected a bill to give the state’s Medicaid program more control over costly mental health drugs.

The vote Wednesday was 25-15 against the bill. Senators who opposed it said they are concerned about mentally ill participants in the Medicaid program not getting the drugs they need. Medicaid provides health care for the needy and disabled.

The bill would repeal a 2002 law that prohibits Medicaid from controlling prescriptions of mental health drugs with preferred drug lists, prior authorization requirements or other methods.

Supporters of the bill said it would protect mentally ill participants from being over-medicated with drugs that can have dangerous side effects.

Republican Gov. Sam Brownback’s administration was pushing the measure because it believes the state could save $16 million a year on drugs.