An advantage to Kansas holding out on Medicaid expansion is that we can learn from others mistakes and successes.
Thats being overly generous.
After five years, Kansas legislators continue to deny more than 130,000 low-income Kansans health insurance through the Affordable Care Act, costing the state more than $1 billion and counting in accompanying federal aid.
Gov. Laura Kelly campaigned on its expansion, saying its not only smart health care policy, but also smart fiscal policy.
In poll after poll, Kansans say they overwhelmingly support seeing more of our indigent covered by health insurance.
This past legislative session a majority of the Kansas House heeded their demands, voting 79-45 for expansion. Senate leadership, however, refused to call the measure for a vote, once again denying care to those who need it most.
ITS A BLACK eye for Kansas.
Undeterred, Kelly is turning the other cheek and going after it again.
On Monday, the governor appointed a 22-member committee of legislators, policy experts, health advocates, physicians and community leaders to study reforms passed by other states in an effort to establish guiding principles for Kansas legislators to study come the 2020 legislative session.
If expanded, the coverage would include those aged 19-64 with household incomes up to 139% of the federal poverty level, or about $35,500 for a family of four.
To pay for the extended insurance, the federal government picks up 90% of the costs. The remaining 10 percent will go to Kansas.
The return on the investment by the state and federal government is an estimated $18 million to $22 million per year in tax revenues, or about 2.5% of their combined expenses. This revenue will come as a result, in part of new jobs, better medical reimbursements to healthcare facilities and better health outcomes that result in fewer missed days at work, fewer health emergencies, etc.
IN DENYING a vote on Medicaid expansion last spring, Senate Republican leaders said they needed more time to get the details right.
Thats puzzling, as 37 other states have managed to nail it down, recouping millions of dollars while they extend healthcare.
During Gov. Sam Brownbacks tenure, both the House and Senate approved expansion in 2017, only to have Brownback veto the measure. Legislators were only three votes short of overriding the veto.
With a pro-expansion governor, its chances should be better if legislators feel a true obligation to their constituents. Senate leaders, so far, have felt emboldened to ignore them.
In her campaign for governor, Kelly said Medicaid expansion was listed time and time again as a high priority for Kansans.
Our residents want as many Kansans as possible to have access to affordable, high-quality health care. They want our hospitals supported, and they want the jobs Medicaid expansion will bring, Kelly said in a Sept. 4 press conference.
