Bi-Partisan Coalition of Legislators Urge U.S. Senators Moran and Roberts to Protect Health Care

Recently, a bi-partisan group of legislators signed a letter urging Senators Roberts and Moran to protect health care in Kansas and reject the AHCA. Read their letter below:

 

The Honorable Pat Roberts
United States Senate
109 Hart Building
Washington, DC 20510
The Honorable Jerry Moran
United States Senate
521 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington, DC 20510

 

June 14, 2017

Dear Senators Roberts and Moran:

As a bi-partisan group of legislators, we are reaching out to you regarding our concerns about the American Health Care Act (AHCA). This legislation will have a profound negative impact on Kansas.

The Congressional Budget Office (CBO), the nonpartisan scorekeeper for federal legislation, estimates that under the AHCA, 23 million fewer Americans will have health coverage in 2026.  Tens of thousands of them will be Kansans.  Others, primarily older and lower income Kansans, will see significant increases in their premiums and out-of-pocket costs.  Those living with preexisting conditions could be priced out of the market and lose access to critical care.

Most concerning to us, however, is the impact the AHCA will have on Medicaid.  Per capita caps, coupled with cuts of more than $830 billion over the next decade, will devastate this program.  The Urban Institute estimates that Kansas would lose at least $1 billion in federal funding.  This loss will strain the state budget and result in cuts in eligibility and services.  Most Medicaid beneficiaries are children, Kansans with disabilities, and seniors.  They are the ones who will be harmed.

Other changes to Medicaid would make it harder to enroll vulnerable Kansans and put our hospitals and other health care providers at further risk of closure.  We urge you to reject these changes and say no to per capita caps and funding cuts.

In addition, the AHCA prohibits Kansas from expanding Medicaid, despite overwhelming public support and passage of an expansion bill by the Kansas legislature.  The AHCA takes this option away from state legislators and with it, our ability to enhance access to care for more than 150,000 Kansans, protect hospitals and rural communities, and create jobs.  Without expansion, federal funding to Kansas will be permanently disadvantaged relative to other states.

We hope to partner with you on policies that make Kansas a healthier place to live and work.  As you work on the AHCA, please protect Medicaid and in doing so, protect the Kansans.

Sincerely,

Senator John Doll

Senator Oletha Faust- Goudeau

Senator Marci Francisco

Senator Bruce Givens

Senator David Haley

Senator Randall R. Hardy

Senator Tom Hawk

Senator Anthony Hensley

Senator Pat Pettey

Senator Lynn W. Rogers

Senator John Skubal

Senator Dinah H. Sykes

Senator Mary Jo Taylor

Representative John Alcala

Representative Dave Baker

Representative Barbara Ballard

Representative Elizabeth Bishop

Representative Shelee Brim

Representative Tom Burroughs

Representative Sydney Carlin

Representative Stephanie Clayton

Representative Susan Concannon

Representative Steven Crum

Representative Pam Curtis

Representative Diana Dierks

Representative Gail Finney

Representative Shannon Francis

Representative Stan Frownfelter

Representative Linda Gallagher

Representative Jim Gartner

Representative Mary Martha Good

Representative Henry Helgerson

Representative Broderick Henderson

Representative Larry Hibbard

Representative Dennis ‘Boog’ Highberger

Representative Tim Hodge

Representative Cindy Holscher

Representative Anita Judd-Jenkins

Representative Joy Koesten

Representative Annie Kuether

Representative Greg Lewis

Representative Nancy Lusk

Representative Adam Lusker

Representative Vic Miller

Representative Monica Murnan

Representative Cindy Neighbor

Representative KC Ohaebosim

Representative Boyd Orr

Representative Jarrod Ousley

Representative Brett Parker

Representative Eber Phelps

Representative Jeff Pittman

Representative Bradley Ralph

Representative Louis Ruiz

Representative Tom Sawyer

Representative Jerry Stogsdill

Representative Ed Trimmer

Representative Ponka-We Victors

Representative Jim Ward

Representative John Wilson

Representative Valdenia Winn

Representative Kathy Wolfe-Moore