(Jan. 20, 2025) – Today, the Senate Public Health and Welfare Committee, chaired by Senator Beverly Gossage (R-Eudora), heard from Kansas Inspector General Steven Anderson on recent reports and findings in Kansas.
The Inspector General highlighted that nine full-time employees have been requested but not funded for ongoing audits of the Kansas Department of Health and Environment and the Kansas Department for Children and Family. The committee heard about the eligibility of pregnant women and pharmacy dispensing fees, and the home and community-based services audit.
Committee members asked questions about the following:
- Maternal health coverage eligibility related to pregnancy, the process to get coverage and instances of coverage with no live births
- Access of using Medicaid benefits for over-the-counter medications
- Software improvements
- Determinations for home and community-based services
- Differences in federal and state forms
- Childcare payments and instances of fraud
- If a reward for plaintiffs could increase results
- Where most complaints come from and how cases are transferred to the Office of Inspector General
- Possible federal support in the future
- Vendor liability on EBT cards
The committee will meet again tomorrow to hear from the Office of Child Advocate and the Long-Term Care Ombudsman.