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 members of drama fueled by her own expansion proposal in January, the Republican-led House’s passage of an expansion bill in March and the GOP Senate leadership’s concession in May to tackle the topic early next year.

Broadening eligibility for Medicaid to as many as 130,000 Kansans was a central theme of Kelly’s 2018 campaign for governor and she’s given no sign of waning enthusiasm.

“As I’ve made clear time and time again, Medicaid expansion tops my 2020 priority list,” Kelly said. “The question we face now is what that Medicaid expansion will look like.”

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