21 March 2024
TOPEKA, Kan. (KSNT) – After a long-awaited hearing for Medicaid Expansion advocates, a panel of lawmakers is deciding to table a House proposal.
The state Health and Human Services Committee voted not to advance House Bill 2556 to the floor for debate on Thursday.
“I do look at this as Medicaid Expansion as socialized medicine, and the United States of America is not a socialist country, and I know we should be learning from the states that actually have done this and have repetitive errors,” said Representative Carrie Barth (R-Baldwin City).
Only five lawmakers on the committee voted in favor of advancing the bill. However, some Republican lawmakers on the panel raised issues with its cost and effectiveness.
“Medicaid is lifesaving, and I think we heard a lot of misinformation from opponents,” said Representative Lindsay Vaughn (D-Overland Park). “There are 41 states that have passed Medicaid Expansion we are one of the only states in the country that have not done it.”
Democrats challenged Republicans to send the proposal to the floor for debate.
“The proof is in the pudding if we think that it is so unpopular and that we don’t have the votes for it then, I say ‘Let’s prove it,'” said Representative Susan Ruiz (D-Shawnee). “We need to bring it to the floor so that the rest of our colleagues have the chance to vote and debate this bill.”
The proposal, one of two bills introduced by Democratic Governor Laura Kelly, would have expanded Medicaid to more than 150,000 Kansans and included work requirements with some exemptions.
Representative Brenda Landwehr (R-Wichita), who chairs the committee, argued that the focus should be on tackling issues with the state’s IDD waitlist. Thousands of disabled Kansans are still waiting for services. Representative David Buehler (R-Lansing) echoed those thoughts.
“The biggest crime would be not taking further action for those 7,500 Kansans who are on the Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities list and the physical disabilities list,” Buehler said. “And, until we fix that, and make that a done issue, then I think that needs to be our focus rather than Medicaid Expansion.”
The governor also introduced a similar version of her Medicaid Expansion bill in the Senate, but it has not yet had a hearing.
To watch the full House Health Committee hearing, click here.