(Jan. 25, 2023) – Today, House Appropriations, chaired by Troy Waymaster (R-Bunker Hill), heard from national conferees about other state experiences with fiscal recovery throughout the last few years. The committee heard from Shayne Kavanaugh from Government Finance Research Center. The group highlighted an overreliance on fines and fees for health care services. Shelby Kearns, National Association of State Budget Officers, gave an overview of other state experiences throughout the last few fiscal years. The committee expressed an interest in knowing how other states reserved funds to cover possible fiscal downturns or recessions.

Marcia Howard, Federal Funds Information for States, gave an overview of federal funding grants awarded to Kansas and other states. Howard highlighted the Federal Medicaid Assistance Percentage phase-down as a significant item of interest for states nationwide.

Karl Frieden, Council on State Taxation, presented information on federal and state tax conformity. Frieden also highlighted the national debt from 1940 to 2052 projected.

Christine Osterlund, deputy Medicaid operations director, Kansas Department of Health and Environment, reviewed the impacts of the step-down of the FMAP funding and the redetermination process slated to take effect after the end of the public health emergency.