Seventy percent of Kansans support expanding Medicaid, including more than half of Republicans. That’s according to a new public opinion by the Docking Institute at Fort Hays State University. Most respondents also agreed that Medicaid expansion would help keep rural hospitals in business. But Docking Institute Director, Brett Zollinger, says those views might not translate into action at the ballot box. He says it can be difficult to kind-of gauge the extent to which support or opposition on an issue is going to affect someone’s behavior and where it stands with respect to other issues. Kansas is one of 10 states that has not yet expanded medicaid.
Kansans’ views on the issue are out of step with actions by the Republican-controlled State Legislature, which has repeatedly blocked expansion in recent years. Nonetheless, Democratic Governor, Laura Kelly says she’ll push again for Medicaid expansion during the next session, which begins in January.
