Federal officials have rejected Kansas’ request to extend KanCare, the state’s privatized Medicaid program, saying it has failed to meet federal standards and risked the health and safety of enrollees.
As reported by The Wichita Eagle, federal investigators reviewed the state’s Medicaid plan in October and found that Kansas is “substantively out of compliance with Federal statutes and regulations, as well as its Medicaid State Plan,” according to a letter sent to the state Jan. 13 from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS).
Kansas privatized its $3.4 billion Medicaid program in 2012 at Gov. Sam Brownback’s urging, shifting the bulk of responsibilities for providing services to three managed care organizations.
Federal authorization for Kansas’ privatized Medicaid system ends at the end of this year. CMS rejected the state’s request to extend it through December of next year and the state must submit a plan to address federal officials’ concerns by Feb. 17.
Federal investigators identified a series of shortcomings with the program’s administration, including diminished oversight by the state and a failure to provide beneficiaries with clear and consistent information.
The letter said CMS received complaints from beneficiaries, health care providers and advocates throughout 2016 and conducted a series of interviews with state officials and the three companies providing coverage, the letter said.
The investigators found that the state failed to ensure effective oversight of the program, which put lives of enrollees at risk and made it difficult for them to navigate their benefits.
The Brownback administration dismissed the federal review as politically motivated.