Capitol Comments Articles
Senate Debates the Budget Bill

Budget Plan (Mar. 13, 2024) – Today, the Kansas Senate debated the state budget bill Substitute for Senate Bill 514. Highlights from the bill include:

Health

  • $78.7 million, including $30 million State General Fund, to increase Medicaid outpatient hospital reimbursement rates in fiscal year 2025 and $157.4 million, including $60 million SGF, to increase Medicaid outpatient reimbursement rates in FY 2026
  • $15 million SGF in on-time funding for childcare sustainability and workforce grants
  • $25.7 million, including $10.3 million SGF, to increase physician provider codes by 8.0 percent
  • $10 million to support hospitals with adult inpatient behavioral health services in Kansas
  • $6.2 million, including $2.4 million SGF, to increase PACE Medicaid rates to 90 percent of the amount that would otherwise have been paid if the participants were not enrolled in the Program of All-Inclusive Care for the Elderly
  • $25.7 million, including $10.3 million SGF, to increase physician provider codes by 8.0 percent
  • $10 million to support hospitals with adult inpatient behavioral health services in Kansas
  • $6.2 million, including $2.4 million SGF, to increase PACE Medicaid rates to 90 percent of the amount that would otherwise have been paid if the participants were not enrolled in PACE
  • $20.7 million SGF to cover the shortfall in contract nursing staff costs to Larned State and Osawatomie State Hospitals

Long-Term Care

  • $30.1 million, including $11.7 million SGF, to continue the Medicaid add-on to nursing facilities in 2024 at a rate of $10 per Medicaid day

Other Items

  • $10 million SGF for Moderate Income Housing program to support housing and workforce development through a revolving loan fund
  • $10 million in additional grants to primary airports
  • $5.0 million SGF to the Children's Cabinet to provide public-private partnership establishing ongoing sustainable, community-level childcare solutions with the Dane G. Hansen Foundation counties
  • $14.3 million for apprenticeship programs at two-year institutions
  • $4.4 million SGF for the Fight Against Fentanyl effort

The Senate will continue to work into the late afternoon on the budget.