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The Kansas budget shortfall makes Medicaid expansion even tougher to sell

thepoliticalinsider.com

Kansas Rep. Tom Sloan is trying to piece together a Medicaid expansion proposal he hopes Gov. Sam Brownback and GOP conservatives might consider according to the Kansas Health Institute

The moderate Republican from Lawrence is borrowing elements from other conservative governors that have received or are seeking federal approval for more private-sector approaches.

The state’s budget shortfalls won’t make things any easier.  The bill has to find a way to cover the state’s share of expansions costs for several years. 

The federal government has promised to pay expansion costs through 2016, and at least 90 percent after that. 

Funding isn’t the only challenge Sloan faces.

Hospitals are writing their own bill.

Rep. Dan Hawkins is the chair of the House Health and Human Services Committee.  He’s working on what could be a third, more conservative alternative.

The expansion would open up KanCare to include able-bodied adults who earn up to 138 percent of the federal poverty level.  That’s about $16,000 annually for an individual and $32,913 for a family of four.

Brownback and conservative who control the Legislature have not given any indication they are willing to drop their opposition to the idea. 

Kansans can keep track of bills and resolutions before the legislature.  There’s a public record available at http://www.kslegislature.org.  Click on the “Senate and House actions and Subject Index Report” link.