Medicaid expansion won't come to Kansas this year after last-ditch effort fails

TOPEKA -- Medicaid expansion won’t happen in Kansas this year, after supporters failed in a last-minute attempt to advance the program.

The failed effort marked a defeat for Gov. Laura Kelly, who had aggressively sought to pass expansion during her first few months in office.

A bipartisan coalition had held up passage of the state’s $7.7 billion budget in the House in effort to pressure Senate Republican leaders to allow a vote on expansion. But during a vote that lasted more than two hours Saturday night, pro-expansion Republicans abandoned the effort.

The House voted 79-45 to approve the budget. The Senate then approved it 26-14.

Read more: https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article230045569.html