Legislative leaders install interim committees to handle Medicaid expansion

Legislative leaders agreed Monday to approach Medicaid expansion on multiple fronts before returning in January for next year’s session.

Meeting as the Legislative Coordinating Council, the top five Republicans and top two Democrats installed an interim schedule that allows for both a Senate-only panel and a joint committee to hold hearings on the issue of extending health insurance coverage to low-income families through the state-run Medicaid program.

The compromise was reached after Senate Majority Leader Jim Denning, R-Overland Park, insisted on crafting a Senate position and Senate Minority Leader Anthony Hensley, D-Topeka, objected to complicating the issue with multiple committees.

Denning said he made a commitment to Senate Republicans to allow them to draft a response to a Medicaid expansion plan passed this year by the House.

Read more: https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190701/legislative-leaders-install-interim-committees-to-handle-medicaid-expansion