(March 17, 2026) – Today, the House Committee on Welfare Reform worked Senate Bill 363. The bill requires the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to seek federal approval for continuous Medicaid eligibility for certain individuals with intellectual or developmental disabilities receiving services through a home and community-based services waiver. It also directs state agencies to report to specific legislative committees on Kansans losing Public Assistance Program eligibility, mandates the Kansas Department for Children and Families and KDHE to establish data-matching agreements with other state agencies to verify eligibility for Food and Medical Assistance, and requires KDHE to submit certain data to the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services. Additionally, the bill prohibits certain public assistance waivers or exemptions without legislative approval and self-attestation when determining eligibility for public assistance. It mandates quarterly eligibility redeterminations for Medical Assistance, with exceptions for some individuals, limits retroactive enrollment, and immediately terminates eligibility for Medical Assistance upon confirmation of death. The bill also raises the age limit for able-bodied adults without certain dependents and bans certain exemptions from work requirements under the Food Assistance Program.
The committee made the following amendments:
- Page 1, striking requirement for seeking 1115 waiver for continuous Medicaid eligibility
- Remove Section 2, records retention
- Page 3, remove requirements for Department of Revenue quarterly checks and Department of Labor monthly checks
- Page 3, notification of non-compliance to read no greater than 30 days shall be required
- Changing household composition to still allow for self-attestation
- Medicaid eligibility redeterminations would occur every 6 months but just for the caretaker medical population, and it would eliminate quarterly re-determinations for others.
Medicaid director Christine Osterlund appeared before the committee to answer questions. The committee held extensive discussions on the amendment, policy impacts, and agency impacts.
The committee recommended the bill favorably for passage on a vote of 7-6. The bill will now go to the House floor.