Empowering Communities: How Medicaid Expansion Could Benefit Kansas

During a town hall meeting hosted by the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) in Wichita, Governor Laura Kelly and Ed O’Malley, KHF President and CEO, discussed the importance of expanding Medicaid in Kansas. The event was part of Governor Kelly’s “Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy” tour where she emphasized the positive effects that increasing access to health care coverage would bring to the state.

Governor Kelly highlighted how Medicaid expansion could support rural hospitals, strengthen the health care workforce, and benefit various sectors such as law enforcement, small businesses, and local taxpayers. She urged Senators to vote in favor of debating and voting on Medicaid expansion to empower communities across the state.

Expanding Medicaid in Kansas would provide 150,000 residents with access to affordable health care coverage. This expansion is also projected to create 23,000 new jobs, help address the health care worker shortage, and inject over $1 billion annually into hospitals and health centers. Ed O’Malley emphasized the importance of finding solutions that work for the people of the state and how Medicaid expansion could help reduce health care costs and increase coverage eligibility for Kansans.

The town hall took place as the Kansas Legislature returned to the Statehouse, with Senators scheduled to vote on a motion to advance Governor Kelly’s Medicaid expansion bill. Despite invitations extended to legislative leaders like Kansas House Speaker Dan Hawkins and Senate President Ty Masterson, they declined to participate. Members of the public were encouraged to reach out to their legislators in support of Medicaid expansion.