Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Disability Advocates Press Federal Officials To Get Kansas To Fix Medicaid Backlog
Topeka (Kan.) Capital-Journal: Advocates Call For Federal Action On Kansas Medicaid Backlog
Advocates for people with disabilities are pressing the federal government to force Kansas to move quickly to clear its backlog of unprocessed Medicaid applications as they seek records from the state agency in charge. In a letter, the Disability Rights Center urges the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to require Kansas to document that it is notifying applicants of their right to a hearing if their application isn’t processed within 45 days. The group also asks the federal government to require the state to demonstrate it has a realistic plan, based on accurate data, to eliminate the backlog. (Shorman, 7/12)
Kansas Health Institute: In Kansas’ Richest County, Medicaid Expansion’s Absence Still Felt
The [Alliance fora Healthy Kansas] estimates that Medicaid expansion would extend health coverage to about 150,000 low-income Kansans...The alliance estimates that almost 40,000 Johnson County residents are uninsured and more than 25 percent of them would gain coverage through Medicaid expansion. Expanding eligibility for Medicaid also would bring about $44 million a year into the county’s health care economy, creating an estimated 282 jobs. (Marso, 7/12)
