Thompson: Medicaid expansion expected

Rep. Kent Thompson said he expects Medicaid to be expanded in Kansas come 2019.

If so, much-needed funds would come our way to help our poor and elderly pay for health-related services.

How much, is the question.

Laura Kelly, who becomes Kansas governor on Jan. 14, made Medicaid expansion a part of her campaign platform and in no small part was why she was elected over Kris Kobach, Republican conservative who often decried making use of the federal funds.

“Her election was easy to see,” Thompson said, “with 74 percent of Kansans saying Kelly’s Medicaid support was a deciding factor in the election.”

However, Thompson pointed out, “whatever Kelly wants to do with Medicaid is going to have to be a plan Republicans can support.” The GOP has solid majorities in both chambers of the Legislature; 63 votes are required to pass legislation in the House; 21 in the Senate.

“I know it’s going to be a priority, but I don’t know what form (Medicaid expansion) will take.”

Currently, the federal government provides 90 percent of Medicaid expenditures to the state’s 10 percent.

The expansion means that those in the “doughnut hole” will be covered with health insurance. In Kansas, parents of a family of four currently can make no more than $9,063 a year to qualify for Medicaid benefits. With Medicaid expansion, that same family can qualify for health insurance with an income up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level, or about $33,950.

“A consideration will be where we’d find money in the budget for the match,” Thompson said.

Gov. Sam Brownback declined to accept the federal money — his contention was Kansas couldn’t afford the match, and federal funding was uncertain — which left many Kansans on the outside looking in at health care. Also, the absence of expanded Medicaid has been a distinct financial burden for Kansas hospitals, which treat potential recipients without compensation.

“It has cost our hospital (Allen County Regional Hospital) more than $1 million a year in revenue,” said County Counselor Alan Weber.

Fort Scott’s Mercy Hospital, which announced its closure earlier this year, also lost substantial revenue, but in Kenneth Collins’ opinion, “that wouldn’t have saved the Fort Scott hospital.”

Collins, a Mulberry Republican, defeated Democrat incumbent Adam Lusker in November. He mostly listened to Thompson, a member of the House since 2013, visit with commissioners. His only comment of consequence being about Fort Scott’s hospital.

Collins, retired from telecommunications, said his previous exposure to elective politics was being a member of two city councils; “though not at the same time,” he quipped. His district has a slice of eastern Allen County, including Moran, Elsmore and Savonburg.

Asked his priorities for the upcoming session, Thompson admitted: “I don’t know yet. Collins and I don’t have our committee assignments and I’ve never served under a Democratic governor, although I think she will be a good one; it will be interesting.”