Gov. Kelly visits HCH to promote Medicaid expansion

Gov. Laura Kelly was at Holton Community Hospital last Thursday to unveil her newest proposal to expand Medicaid in Kansas. 

“Each year I’ve been in office, I have introduced a bill to expand Medicaid with support from both sides of the aisle. This year, we’re going a step further to meet Republicans in the middle, putting forward a plan that would cut healthcare costs, create jobs and grow our economy – all at no additional cost for Kansas taxpayers,” Gov. Kelly said. “We have taken such a bipartisan approach to incorporate what I’ve been hearing from Kansans during my tour and to reflect conversations we’ve had with Republican lawmakers. Now, there’s no excuse – at this point, every legislator standing in the way of Medicaid expansion is going against a common-sense, fiscally responsible proposal that benefits their constituents.”

Since 2014, the Affordable Care Act has given states the authority to expand Medicaid eligibility to individuals under age 65 in families with incomes below 133 percent of the federal poverty level.

Forty states, as well as Washington D.C., have adopted the Medicaid expansion.  Kansas and nine other states – Wyoming, Texas, Wisconsin, Tennessee, South Carolina, Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi and Florida – have not adopted the expansion.

Gov. Kelly chose to unveil her latest piece of legislation to expand Medicaid, the Cutting Healthcare Costs For All Kansans Act, in the lobby of Holton Community Hospital. About 50 people were in attendance for the press conference.

She said the new proposed plan will expand Medicaid to an estimated 150,000 Kansans at no additional cost to state taxpayers. 

The introduction of this legislation follows Gov. Kelly’s months-long “Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy” tour.

The bill would expand health coverage to working Kansans who currently make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but don’t receive health insurance through work or make too little to afford private health insurance. 

According to Gov. Kelly, the Cutting Healthcare Costs For All Kansans Act would come at no additional cost to Kansas taxpayers.

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