A Republican-controlled committee in the Kansas House has submitted a proposal to expand Medicaid in Kansas under the federal health care law. The state’s share of the expansion cost would be funded initially with fees paid by health care providers.
More than 150,000 Kansans could be eligible for health care coverage.
Republican Representative Tom Sloan says the bill is a Kansas way to expand KanCare and access the available federal dollars.
“There are probably elements in it, like most bills, that people will like and there will be things there that they'll be wondering what we were thinking at the time. It should stimulate additional discussion about how do we move forward,” says Sloan.
The legislation could require able-bodied Kansans to work or volunteer to be eligible for coverage.
Many Republicans in the Legislature have been skeptical of taking part in the federal health care overhaul.
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A Republican-controlled committee in the Kansas House has introduced a plan to expand Medicaid. The bill could make more than 150,000 low-income Kansas eligible for health care coverage. Many Kansas Republicans have been skeptical of taking part in the federal health care expansion. But as KPR’s Stephen Koranda reports, this plan gives a new option.
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The budget in Kansas is tight, so the bill would pay for the state’s share of the Medicaid expansion with taxes on health care providers. The idea is that they’ll be benefitting by expanding Medicaid, since they will treat more people with health care coverage.
Republican Representative Tom Sloan says they started with several questions, including how do they improve the health of Kansans?
“How do we pay for that and maximize the return of the federal dollars that are available. How do we do so in a Kansas way, so that it’s not the Affordable Care Act, but it’s a Kansas plan?” says Sloan.
The legislation could require able-bodied Kansans to work or volunteer to be eligible for coverage.