Yesterday, in Holton, Governor Kelly unveiled the “Cutting Healthcare Costs for All Kansans Act”, to expand Medicaid to an estimated 150,000 Kansans at no additional cost to taxpayers. Kelly says every year she has been in office she has introduced a bill to expand medicaid with support from both sides, only to be shot down by the Republican majority in the house. Medicaid expansion has been a goal for Kelly since she initially took office as Governor of Kansas. Kelly told Kansans that one of her top objectives would be to push for Medicaid expansion. She says it is her primary goal going into the 2023 Kansas Legislative session.
Kansas remains one of only a handful of states in the U. S.that has yet to expand Medicaid. If passed, the act would expand health coverage to working Kansans who make too much money to qualify for Medicaid but don’t receive health insurance through work or make too little to afford private health insurance. House Speaker Dan Hawkins is a critic, saying the plan is nothing more than smoke and mirrors because the Biden Administration has not approved a Medicaid work requirement and revoke previous work requirements. The Legislative Session begins January 8th.
