Nearly 72,000 low-income children in Virginia who lack health insurance could gain coverage if the state decides to match federal funds in a new $24 billion federal program.

The program was outlined yesterday by State Health Commissioner Randolph Gordon and others at a conference on access to health insurance. The audience of health-care providers, policymakers, legislators and business leaders was also given an overview of the recent report on the issue commissioned by the Joint Commission on Health Care.

The report is the first on trends in health care access since the state last examined the issue in 1993. It found that although the number of Virginians who are uninsured has hovered at about 858,000, the portion of uninsured working poor is growing.