Capitol Comments Articles
Medicaid Expansion Gets Hearings

KanCare (Mar. 20, 2024) – Today, both the House Health Committee and a Joint Committee made up of members from Senate Ways and Means and Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee held hearings on Medicaid expansion bills, House Bill 2556 and Senate Bill 355.

The Senate Committee was an informational hearing, chaired by Sen. Carolyn McGinn (R-Sedgwick). The committee heard from the following conferees:

Proponents:

  • Christine Osterlund, state Medicaid director, Topeka
  • Eddie Hermann, HaysMed, Hays
  • Marcillene Dover, private citizen
  • Billie Hall, Sunflower Foundation, Topeka
  • Rep. Donny Lambeth, North Carolina General Assembly
  • Sheriff Jeffrey Easter, Kansas Sheriffs' Association
  • Erica Christie, Three Rivers Independent Living, Wamego
  • Doug Gruenbacher, MD, Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, Overland Park

Neutral Testimony:

  • Kari Bruffett, Kansas Health Institute, Topeka

Opponent Testimony:

  • Sen. Beverly Gossage (R-Eudora)
  • Sam Adolphsen, Opportunity Solutions Project, Tallahassee, FL
  • Rep. Will Carpenter (R-El Dorado)
  • Michael Cannon, Cato Institute, Washington, D.C.
  • Brittany Jones, Kansas Family Voice, Wichita
  • Dean Clancy, Americans for Prosperity

The committee asked why North Carolina went forward with expansion even though they saw similar opponents testimony. What percentage of the expansion population in other states aren't working. What is the coverage rate for pregnant women. Questions about Medicaid fraud, how expansion can reduce property taxes, how expansion helps those on the disability waivers list.

On the House side, the hearing was on House Bill 2556. The committee heard from the following:

Proponents:

  • Christine Osterlund, state Medicaid director, Topeka 
  • Erica Christie, Three Rivers Independent Living, Wamego
  • Representative Donny Lambeth, North Carolina General Assembly
  • Billie Hall, Sunflower Foundation, Topeka
  • Benjamin Anderson, Hutchinson Regional Healthcare System, Hutchinson
  • Tim DeWise, Johnson County Mental Health Centers
  • Marcillene Dover, private citizen
  • Sheriff Jeffrey Easter, Kansas Sheriffs' Association
  • Doug Gruenbacher, MD, Kansas Academy of Family Physicians, Overland Park

Opponents:

  • Sen. Beverly Gossage (R-Eudora)
  • Sam Adolphsen, Opportunity Solutions Project
  • Rep. Will Carpenter (R-El Dorado)
  • Michael Cannon, Cato Institute
  • Brittany Jones, Kansas Family Voice
  • Dean Clancy, Americans for Prosperity

The committee will meet again tomorrow.