Gov. Laura Kelly directs council to explore Medicaid expansion options

Gov. Laura Kelly pressed ahead with a central campaign theme Wednesday by directing a council to study the Medicaid expansion experience of three dozen other states and prepare a best-practices outline for use during the 2020 session of the Kansas Legislature.

The Democratic governor proposed and the Republican-led House passed a bill broadening eligibility for Medicaid to about 130,000 Kansans, but the Senate leadership blocked all efforts to debate legislation in 2019. Republican Govs. Sam Brownback and Jeff Colyer successfully stalled consideration of Medicaid expansion from 2011 to 2019.

“I am going to do everything in my power to ensure this will be the year we will finally expand Medicaid in Kansas,” Kelly said during a news conference at the Capitol. “When I traveled around the state last fall, Kansans made it clear that this is a high priority. They want as many Kansans as possible to have access to affordable, high-quality health care.”

Kelly said the new council devoted to Medicaid wouldn’t develop or endorse a detailed bill, but would point to three to five mileposts to guide Kansas lawmakers. She said the objective of the bipartisan council would be to pinpoint ideas to avoid and highlight evidence-based practices deployed by other states. The council’s report will be available to the 2020 Legislature.

Read more: https://www.cjonline.com/news/20190904/gov-laura-kelly-directs-council-to-explore-medicaid-expansion-options
(Topeka Capital-Journal)