Kansas approves legislation to expand Medicaid to low-income adults

The Kansas legislature today approved bipartisan legislation (HB 2044) to expand Medicaid eligibility to uninsured adults under age 65 who earn up to 133% of the federal poverty level. The Kanas Hospital Association supported the measure, which calls for the state to submit a waiver request to the federal Department of Health and Human Services to implement the Bridge to a Healthy Kansas program by Jan. 1, 2018. The program also would create a premium assistance program for participants who have access to employer-sponsored health insurance but cannot afford the premiums, and refer most non-disabled adults working less than 20 hours a week to the state’s workforce training programs. “It is clear the time to act is now and Kansas hospitals hope Governor Brownback will join with the Kansas Senate and House of Representatives, hundreds of Kansas organizations, and more than 82% of Kansans who support expanding KanCare,” KHA said. “We can bring hundreds of millions of our tax dollars back to Kansas to create jobs, protect hospitals and communities, and provide coverage and care for more than 150,000 Kansans.”