Medicaid Expansion Enhances Financial Well-Being: Unpaid Bills and Debt Sent to Collection Agencies Decline in Expansion States

The perceived value of health coverage is often tied to its connection to keeping people healthy. Health insurance, however, like other forms of insurance, is a financial product. Its primary goal is to protect the holder against financial risk. A recent study shows that Medicaid expansion does just that – reducing unpaid bills, enhancing credit, […]

KanCare Expansion Rally and Press Conference Set for May 9

A rally and press conference is planned for May 9 at the Kansas Statehouse to kick off a statewide grassroots campaign in support of KanCare expansion. The campaign will help organize voters and leaders in communities across the state to help elected officials see that a large majority of their constituents support KanCare expansion. WHO: […]

Medicaid Expansion Creates Budget Savings and Revenue Gains: States that expand also have more job growth, lower health inflation, and fewer at-risk hospitals

In addition to big gains in health coverage, states that expand their Medicaid programs generate substantial budget savings and revenue gains that can be used to offset expansion costs and finance other state priorities. A recent analysis by Manatt Health, prepared for the State Health Reform Assistance Network, examined the budget impact of Medicaid expansion […]

New report shows KanCare expansion would improve behavioral health care access

A new report from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services says approximately 34,000 uninsured people with a mental illness or substance use disorder have incomes that would qualify them for health coverage, if Kansas were to expand its Medicaid program, known as KanCare. With KanCare coverage, these Kansans would have been able to […]

Latest Poll Shows Strong, Growing Support for KanCare Expansion

A new poll shows that a growing majority of Kansans favor expanding KanCare to cover 150,000 low-income, working adults. The statewide poll found that 62 percent of Kansas voters supported expanding KanCare (the state’s privatized Medicaid program), to cover adults earning less than 138 percent of the federal poverty level — which is $16,394 for […]

KanCare Expansion: The Facts

Economic Growth More than 30 other states that have chosen to expand their Medicaid program have seen substantial budget savings, allowing them to invest in priorities like education and economic development. In fact, data from Kentucky and Arkansas show more than $1 billion in savings from those two states alone. If other states have found […]

Can Kansas afford KanCare expansion?

THE FACTS: It is true that the Kansas budget currently faces challenges stemming from dramatic changes in tax policy in 2012. For this very reason, now more than ever, Kansas cannot afford to simply say ‘no’ to KanCare expansion. For every $9 the federal government spends on health coverage for new KanCare enrollees, Kansas will […]

What about claims that KanCare expansion benefits the “able-bodied”?

THE FACTS: Of the uninsured Kansans who stand to benefit from KanCare expansion, three in four are in a working family, according to recent studies. These families to do not earn enough to qualify for tax credits to buy insurance. Yes, you read that right — they do not earn enough to qualify for assistance. That’s […]