Stories From the Coverage Gap

rally for kancare expansion

Attending the Rally for KanCare expansion at the Kansas Statehouse on Wednesday, March 15, 2023? Here are the details and resources you might need.

The Rally will take place in the Kansas Statehouse, 2nd floor north wing. The Kansas Statehouse is located in Topeka at SW 8th St & SW Van Buren St. There are various parking options around the statehouse, including street metered parking, the Statehouse Visitor garage (limited spaces & time limits apply), and other parking garages.

new report confirms benefits of kancare expansion to behavioral health system

Expansion of the state’s Medicaid program, KanCare, would have a significant effect on the state’s behavioral health system, according to a new study from the Kansas Health Institute. The study showed that, among other things, KanCare expansion would lead to increased resources for behavioral health providers; decrease the costs of county jails in Kansas; and reduce the number of children entering the Kansas foster care system due to neglect. Kansas is one of only eleven states in the national who haven’t expanded their Medicaid programs.

Blog: Beginning the 2023 legislative session

Welcome to 2023! We find ourselves at the beginning of a new legislative session filled with fresh opportunities for positive policy change and an enormous need for citizen engagement in the legislative process. If you are reading this, there is a good chance that you support KanCare expansion as a way to provide increased access to affordable health care for tens of thousands of low-wage Kansans in need of coverage. We are delighted to have you alongside us in the movement for expansion!

gov. kelly talks medicaid expansion, childcare at emporia roundtable

Gov. Laura Kelly discussed the urgent need for Medicaid expansion, shedding light on the challenges faced by the childcare industry and the broader impact on the state’s workforce and economy during a stop in Emporia on Tuesday morning.

Hospitals need expanded medicaid

Gov. Laura Kelly visited Winfield recently to advocate Medicaid expansion. Our hospital CEO, a small business owner, and a teacher all cited the benefits of allowing hard-working Kansans in low-wage jobs to obtain medical insurance coverage.

Kansas health care coverage lags behind national average for second year

rachel mipro | Kansas reflector September 14, 2023 TOPEKA, Kan. (Kansas Reflector) – Kansas has fallen behind national health insurance trends for the second year in a row, with thousands of state residents falling into a health care coverage gap. Kansas had a higher uninsurance rate than the national average for two consecutive years now, […]

More than 50% of rural hospitals at risk of closing, Kansas governor says there’s simple solution

Expanding Medicaid wouldn’t just help regular people, CEO of William Newton Hospital in Winfield Brian Barta said. Barta said it would also take pressure off hospital systems to come up with costs if a person can’t pay for services and don’t have insurance.

“The cost of us providing care for uninsured and underinsured individuals is about 2 and a half million dollars, and that’s our cost just to break even. So, expanding the coverage to individuals, it’s not going to solve our problems but it’s going to help reduce that burden,” he said.