Kansas City Considers Cutting Indigent Care Funding

The Kansas City, Mo., city council is considering a proposal to cut financing for indigent health care to pay for a $205.3 million plan to upgrade police and fire facilities, the Business Journal of Kansas City reports. City Manager Bob Collins has proposed several ways to finance the "public safety capital improvement plan," but most options would either reduce or "entirely phase out" the city's general fund contribution earmarked for indigent care. This year, safety-net providers will receive $37.7 million from the city, with $11.8 million coming from the city general fund and the remaining $25.9 million garnered through a health care tax. Cutting the general fund money would be "particularly painful" for safety-net providers, as it provides a reliable financing mechanism. "With foundations, you never know from one grant award to another whether you're going to get [funding]," Kansas City Free Health Clinic Executive Director Sheri Wood said, adding, "It's critical that the City Council understand the profoundly negative impact this would have on indigent health care." According to city council member and mayor pro tem Alvin Brooks, the council has not yet reached a consensus on how to fund the public safety upgrade. However, the council members must take action on the issue by May 24 in order to place an initiative on the August ballots (Jaffe, Business Journal of Kansas City, 5/14).