Governor launches first meeting of bipartisan Council on Medicaid Expansion

Oct. 1, 2019 Governor Laura Kelly’s call for a bipartisan, Kansas-specific plan to expand Medicaid coverage took an important step forward Monday with the first meeting of the Governor’s Council on Medicaid Expansion. “Many Kansans struggle to cover the costs of basic health care. Some people can’t afford coverage at all. The status quo is […]

Iola Register: Success Stories Abound for Kelly’s Commission on Medicaid Expansion

Oct. 1, 2019 An advantage to Kansas holding out on Medicaid expansion is that we can learn from others’ mistakes and successes. That’s being overly generous. After five years, Kansas legislators continue to deny more than 130,000 low-income Kansans health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, costing the state more than $1 billion — and […]

Gov. Laura Kelly launches council to guide Medicaid expansion debate

By Tim Carpenter | Sept. 30, 2019 Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly resumed Kansas’ spirited debate on Medicaid expansion by authorizing a large, bipartisan council Monday to serve as policy compass for legislators diving into the controversial issue during the 2020 session. She opened the inaugural meeting of the Governor’s Council on Medicaid Expansion by reminding […]

Leave work requirements out of KanCare expansion plans

By Dana Bacon | Oct. 1, 2019 Though the legislative session doesn’t begin until January 13, we already know its tone will be set by a central question: “How best to cover more Kansans by expanding access to the KanCare program?” Lawmakers will likely be tempted to add some controversial and concerning ideas in their […]

Kansas Continues to Lag in Insurance Coverage

By Sheldon Weisgrau | Sept. 25, 2019 The Census Bureau’s annual report on health insurance is out, and the news isn’t good. Despite economic growth and low unemployment, the number of Americans without insurance rose by about 2 million in 2018, continuing an erosion in coverage that began the year before. Prior to that, both […]

How Political Maneuvering Derailed A Red State’s Path To Medicaid Expansion

By Lauren Weber | Sept. 6, 2019 TOPEKA, Kan. — This was supposed to be the year Medicaid expansion finally happened in Kansas. Democratic Gov. Laura Kelly, elected in November, had run on the issue. She triumphed in a state that had gone for Trump in 2016 by more than 20 percentage points and replaced […]

Hutchinson News: Gov. Laura Kelly directs council to explore Medicaid expansion options

By Tim Carpenter | Sept. 4, 2019 Gov. Laura Kelly pressed ahead with a central campaign theme Wednesday by directing a council to study the Medicaid expansion experience of three dozen other states and prepare a best-practices outline for use during the 2020 session of the Kansas Legislature. The 22-member council includes Rep. Jason Probst, […]

Kansas Health Institute 2019 Kansas Legislative Recap

During the 2019 legislative session more than 80 health-related bills were introduced, including more than a dozen child-welfare bills, but few progressed beyond the committee of origin. Even so, many important changes to health policy were enacted. This legislative recap examines some of the key health-related bills that were considered. It also includes a table […]