Here are five things to know about the issue.
1. Hospitals fighting to expand KanCare include Via Christi Hospital in Manhattan and Stormont Vail in Topeka.
2. Leaders of the hospitals said the situation is worsening for Kansas health systems, according to the report. Stormont Vail plans to close rural clinics in Lyndon and Alma by the end of January. And Topeka-based Saint Francis Health announced its sale in May, citing financial pressure from limited Medicaid expansion and other healthcare reforms. Saint Francis Health President David Setchel said earlier this year the hospital loses $10 million every year because of limited Medicaid expansion.
3. If Kansas does expand its Medicaid under the ACA, it will cover 150,000 low-income residents who are currently uninsured, according to Tom Vell, president of the Kansas Hospital Association. He said Medicaid expansion “will support our healthcare system — which is experiencing cuts and layoffs right now.”
4. Supporters of Medicaid expansion have continuously urged lawmakers to accept federal money for KanCare, but the legislature has rejected the efforts various times — most recently this past spring, according to the report.
5. Kansas lawmakers are scheduled to address the issue again in 2017.
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