new poll confirms widespread support for medicaid expansion in kansas

February 23, 2024
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A new poll released by the Sunflower Foundation re-affirms previous polls over the last several years that Kansans widely support Medicaid expansion, and highlights that most Kansans value the economic benefits that expansion brings.

Some of the highlights of the study include:

  • 83% of small business owners support Medicaid expansion, especially after hearing that it will create thousands of new jobs and keep the Kansas economy thriving;
  • 68% of registered voters initially supported Medicaid expansion, though after being provided with information about how it would affect Kansas support rose to 78%;
  • 82% of registered voters agreed that seeing 100,000 additional Kansans get access to affordable health care was a compelling reason to expand Medicaid.

“Expanding Medicaid isn’t just about providing health care coverage; it’s about investing in the well-being of our communities. When we prioritize preventative care and access to essential services, we create a stronger, more resilient society,” said Steve Baccus, longtime Ottawa county farmer and former president of the Kansas Farm Bureau. “Our rural communities are often struggling to keep Main Street open and to continue to offer the necessary services to the surrounding agricultural enterprises. A community that can offer a total health care package has an advantage in maintaining a viable town.”

The poll was conducted by Public Opinion Strategies and looked at three key audiences in Kansas: registered voters, Republican primary voters, and small business owners.

“A decade after the first state expanded Medicaid, it is clear the impacts of expansion go far beyond increasing access to health care,” said Billie Hall, Sunflower Foundation president and CEO. “This poll provides tangible evidence that expansion is critical to the future of small businesses in Kansas and their ability to recruit and retain the workforce needed to drive the state’s economy.”

Additionally, the poll showed that most agreed that Medicaid expansion should be decided by voters rather than the Kansas Legislature: 77% of registered voters & 73% of primary Republican voters.

“Without Medicaid expansion in Kansas, the uninsured will continue to seek access to health care in the most expensive place – the emergency room – because it’s the one place they will not be turned away,” said Lisa Ginter, president and CEO of CommunityAmerica Credit Union, headquartered in Lenexa. “This will continue to increase costs for all Kansas taxpayers, particularly the business sector, which is heavily impacted by skyrocketing premiums that come with providing reliable insurance policies for our employees.”

You can get more information about the new poll from the Sunflower Foundation’s website.