Kansas medical interests say they are suffering because the state hasn't expanded Medicaid.
The Topeka Capital-Journal reports that the issue came up last week in the Legislature. A bill discussed Wednesday and Thursday in the Kansas House Health and Human Services committee would authorize the Kansas Department of Health and Environment to apply for a waiver from HHS. HHS has reached agreements with six states to add extra requirements to Medicaid eligibility or to give the private sector a role.
Officials with both Stormont-Vail Healthcare and St. Francis Health in Topeka said their finances aren't as severely impaired as some hospitals in rural areas. But both hospitals said they would benefit if fewer patients were uninsured.