As rural Kansas suffers, politicians put ideology first in refusing to expand Medicaid

As elected officials sit comfortably in their marble halls playing politics, Kansans are languishing. Kansas is one of the last holdouts forgoing Medicaid expansion, but expansion is nonnegotiable. It is a matter of life or death. The power to completely change the lives of approximately 150,000 Kansans rests solely in the power of elected officials.

I know Kansas. My husband grew up outside of Salina. I lived in Overland Park and my in-laws are in McPherson. Some of the people I care for most live or are from there. Kansans are not stupid. They do not vote in their worst interests. The Kansas Legislature has made a mockery of them.

Kansas is unique. There is no direct line for residents of the state to change this policy, decreasing incentive for members of the Legislature to put their people first. Kansans are held hostage by the politicization of their health. A 2020 statewide public opinion survey reports that 63.5% of respondents support the expansion of KanCare, the state’s Medicaid agency — so who are representatives representing?

The time has never been better for Kansas to expand. In March 2021, the American Rescue Plan Act was signed into law, and incentives for expanding Medicaid increased. Now, should the Legislature expand KanCare, there is a 90% federal matching fund, increasing from the current 60% federal match. The Legislature is leaving money on the table, choosing politics over people.

Unfortunately, the collateral damage of these political games is real people going bankrupt, foregoing health insurance, or even dying. Expanding KanCare would allow a family of four making $26,500 eligible for affordable health insurance, and this would make a difference in tens of thousands of people’s lives.

The uninsured rate in Kansas is alarming, and it disproportionately effects rural Kansans. The uninsured rates across the state in 2020 were 10.1%, and in some counties that rate is as high as 14.3% in frontier and rural counties. Why have the elected leaders continued to forget their rural constituents? The people of Holcomb, Hays, Iola, Lindsborg, Chanute, Beloit and so many other vibrant, unique towns deserve access to health care.

Increasing access to KanCare gives vulnerable hospitals a safety net and has real economic implications. When COVID-19 hit, elective surgeries shuttered and rural hospitals suffered. With the increase in federal funding, Kansas hospitals would be given a lifeline to remain open. The Kansas Hospital Association reports that since 2010, five rural hospitals have closed, and lack of access in rural communities puts vulnerable people at increased risk. The same report states rural hospitals are “six times more likely to close than those in expansion states.”

At the end of the day, this is more than just an insurance issue. There are significant economic benefits beyond just the health care sector. Upward of 23,000 new jobs could be created through Medicaid expansion, with profound impact for the people of Kansas. Decreased unemployment leads to increased prosperity, better health outcomes and better prospects for the people.

While some argue Medicaid expansion is not an efficient choice to close the uninsured gaps in Kansas. Kansans work hard for every dollar they earn, and don’t expect handouts — but don’t all Kansans deserve a break? The aid is there if the Legislature would just reach out and take it.

It’s time for Kansas lawmakers to do their job. Gov. Laura Kelly implores you to do the right thing. The residents of the state are begging you to do the right thing. The only hurdle left is the pride and arrogance of politicians who believe more deeply in ideology than the people of Kansas.