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accessHealthNews.net
March 2022
Volume 8 | Issue No. 55
A
fter a decade-long battle to implement new Medic-
aid guidelines in Missouri, the expansion finally passed
in 2020, extending coverage to more than 200,000 newly
eligible adults. Missouri is one of 39 states to date that has
adopted Medicaid expansion, including Colorado, Ne-
braska, and Oklahoma, among others. Now surrounded
by states that made the switch and seeing the positive im-
pact it has had, many Kansans are wondering when their
state will follow suit.
On February 9, Governor Laura Kelly's new legislation to
expand KanCare, Kansas's Medicaid program, was intro-
duced to the House floor. Under the proposed bill, Med-
icaid expansion would cover Kansans earning up to the
full 138% of the Federal Poverty Level beginning January
1, 2023. According to Kelly, about 90% of the expansion
would be paid by the federal government.
Previously, the governor cited the challenges of COVID-19
as the driving force behind the legislation, stating that re-
covering from the pandemic will require protecting the
health of Kansas's workforce and economy. If Medicaid is
expanded, the state is expected to receive an additional
$68.5 million in State General Fund savings in 2023 alone,
which will be reallocated toward an investment in hous-
ing, childcare, and workforce development.
According to a recent survey conducted by Alliance for
a Healthy Kansas, almost eight in 10 Kansas voters support
the expansion of Medicaid in Kansas. Amid rising costs of
living, including food and gas as well as health care, the
majority of survey respondents (89%) cited fear of med-
ical debt as an additional concern, especially for those
already struggling with the costs of care.
Survey results also indicate that interest in KanCare spans
communities, both geographically and politically. Fa-
vored among 85% of people in urban areas and 73% of
rural areas, expanding KanCare is a clear choice to al-
leviate shared concerns on access to care. With support
from 96% of Democrats and 65% of Republicans, KanCare
could unite the state in making the best choice for health
care consumers, the work force, and the economy.
The expansion of Medicaid in Kansas could grant cover-
age to more than 165,000 adults, allowing more Kansans
the access they need to remain healthy, especially amid
a global pandemic. It would also return adults to the work-
force and keep them working longer as they are able to
invest in and better manage their health. With other states
reporting that Medicaid expansion boosted not only the
workforce but the economy, the decision is clear – there
is no reason to further put off expanding Medicaid cover-
age in Kansas.
INVESTING IN A HEALTHY WORKFORCE
During a recent virtual discussion titled "Medicaid Expan-
sion in Kansas," panelists Lieutenant Governor David To-
land and Kansas State Senator John Doll discussed the
economic and community health impact the expansion
would have. Throughout the discussion, the two focused
on the positive impact KanCare would have, citing evi-
dence that supports the bill Kelly is currently attempting
to pass.
According to Toland, who is also the Kansas Secretary
of Commerce, there are simply not enough healthy and
able people on the workforce bench to man the amount
of work available. With 64,000 currently open jobs, and an
unemployment rate of 6.3%, he believes it's clear that the
focus needs to be on investing in the wellbeing of working
adults.
"The expansion of Medicaid in Kansas could grant coverage to
more than 165,000 adults, allowing more Kansans the access they
need to remain healthy, especially amid a global pandemic."
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