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a cce s s H ea l t h N ews . n e t M a rc h 2 0 2 6 Volume 11 | Issue No. 104 8 E arlier this year, Missouri became the 39th state to expand Medicaid coverage, providing access to affordable health care to more than 200,000 newly eligible adults. Kansas is now completely landlocked by states that have decided to adopt and implement Medicaid expansion. In neighboring states, expanded coverage and eligibility requirements have made be er quality health care more accessible to more people. As for the majority of Kansans, they say – it's our turn. aH Health Care is a Human Right: Making a Case for Medicaid Expansion in Kansas The panel of speakers featured Joe Reardon, president and CEO of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce, Reverend Dr. Nane e Roberts, senior pastor of Grace United Methodist Church in Olathe, and Dr. Robert Simari, executive vice chancellor of the University of Kansas Medical Center. Improving Public Health Dr. Simari began by highlighting the effect that social determinants of health can have on a person's wellbeing, regardless of the quality of care being given by their providers. The result is disproportionate health statuses across communities, with life expectancies changing just by crossing a block. To combat this, he believes the solution is a coordinated payer system that works to eliminate some of the barriers keeping people from accessing and investing in routine care. "It's estimated that Medicaid expansion in Kansas would cover about 165,000 Kansans, with two-thirds of those working full-time," he said. "For those individuals who are uninsured or under-insured, they're going to get sick at a higher rate than if they have preventative or maintenance care, and they're going to receive care in emergency rooms or other health care se ings that may be too late and too expensive. Barriers to health care, including high costs of insurance, have kept necessary care out of reach for many. Fear of high hospital bills keeps people from seeking care until it's absolutely necessary, increasing not only emergency room visits but also preventable injuries, illnesses, and deaths. Affordable health insurance allows individuals to invest in their health, allowing patients and providers to develop a cost-effective, high-quality continuum of care. Recently, more than 160 community leaders came together to discuss the need to expand Medicaid in Kansas. "Business, Faith, Health: Why Medicaid Expansion is Right for Kansas" explored the justifications for Medicaid expansion not only from a health and economic perspective, but from a place of faith and compassion as well. Published in January 2022

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