Medicaid expansion bill introduced in Kansas

Earlier this week, a new bill that would expand Medicaid was introduced in the Kansas House and Senate, according to KCRU.org.

The bill, called "Bridge to a Healthy Kansas," was drafted by the Kansas Health Association and would provide coverage to 150,000 working Kansans in the Medicaid gap, according to KSHB.com.

"Bridge to a Healthy Kansas" was modeled after a similar plan adopted by Indiana. According to the Kansas Health Association, the bill would save the state an estimated $183 million in 2017, $217.7 million in 2018 and $240 million by 2020.

But passing the bill could prove to be difficult. Although Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback (R) has said he could be willing to discuss a Medicaid plan that meets specific requirements, he opposes Medicaid expansion overall.

"It was Obamacare that cut Medicare reimbursements to rural hospitals," Gov. Brownback said during his State of the State address this month, according to the report. "It was Obamacare that caused the problem. We should not expand Obamacare to solve the problem."

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