Three years ago the administration of Gov. Sam Brownback privatized Kansas’s $3 billion Medicaid system and named it KanCare. Since then, the program has been the subject of a great deal of criticism. Last week a number of individuals testified before the joint House and Senate oversight committee,reports The Topeka Capital-Journal.Those who spoke before the committee provided “unvarnished critiques” of the program.
One of those testifying was Mitzi McFatrich, executive director of Kansas Advocates for Better Care. She said data proved no significant movement had occurred under KanCare toward emphasizing less-expensive care in residential units rather than institutional settings. She added that budget constraints would make it difficult to properly serve Kansans as the percentage of the population over 65 escalated.