TOPEKA — Republican lawmakers on Thursday brought a Medicaid expansion bill to a halt, after one day of discussion, 900 testimonies in support of expansion and dozens of statewide rallies held by Kansans desperate for more health care coverage.
The move will severely limit chances of the bill’s survival during this year’s legislative session.
Rep. Brenda Landwehr, a Wichita Republican, led opposition to the bill the latest Medicaid expansion bill, encapsulated as House Bill 2556. Landwehr, chairwoman of a House committee that heard the bill Thursday, called for action Thursday, following a Wednesday hearing on the bill. Landwehr was supported in her opposition to expansion by fellow Republican committee lawmakers. The five Democrats and 12 Republicans on the committee voted on party lines.
“But why would you expand a broken system?” Landwehr said, justifying her vote. “I don’t understand that.”
Several committee Democrats said their colleagues deserved a chance to debate the legislation.
“If this bill is so unpopular, give this a chance to have that vote on the House floor, so not just 17 of us will be able to decide this huge of an issue,” Rep. Christina Haswood, a Lawrence Democrat, said.
Gov. Laura Kelly, who has spent months rallying across the state for expansion, called the move disappointing.
“It is clear that Kansans resoundingly support expanding Medicaid and have growing concerns over legislative inaction,” Kelly said. “I urge Kansans to continue making their voices heard so we can get this bill to both the House and Senate floors for a debate and vote.”
Medicaid expansion could be reassigned to another committee, inserted into another bill, or forced to the House floor if enough lawmakers throw their support behind expansion.
But that would be unlikely as top Republicans in the House and Senate remain firmly against expansion despite widespread bipartisan support.
Senate President Ty Masterson and House Speaker Dan Hawkins have characterized it as a way to “expand the welfare state,” though most of the estimated 150,000 Kansans who would benefit from expansion are low-income workers or Kansans suffering from chronic illness.
Medicaid expansion would expand state health insurance coverage for lower-income families. Under the Affordable Care Act, the federal government covers 90% of the extra cost of Medicaid services in exchange for expanding eligibility to those at 138% of the federal poverty rate and below.
Medicaid expansion would also unlock $700 million in annual federal funding and could save 59 rural hospitals on the brink of closing. Wednesday was the first time in four years legislative leaders allowed hearings on expanding state health care coverage.
Support comes from many sectors across the state, including disability rights advocates, health care workers, Kansans without insurance–and even the state’s sheriffs, because Medicaid expansion would cover medical costs for people incarcerated in county jails under the bill.
Sedgwick County Sheriff Jeff Easter said the medical costs of caring for prisoners could be “devastating,” especially in rural counties. Easter spoke on behalf of the Kansas Sheriff’s Association Wednesday to voice support for Medicaid coverage in jails as a way to reduce financial burdens for counties.
