Governor Kelly’s Medicaid Expansion Town Hall Calls for Expanded Access to Health Care and Economic Growth in Kansas

Governor Laura Kelly recently held a town hall in Wichita with the Kansas Health Foundation (KHF) to discuss the importance of Medicaid expansion and its potential impact on the state. During the event, Governor Kelly emphasized the positive effects that increasing access to health care coverage would bring to Kansas as part of her “Healthy Workers, Healthy Economy” tour. She 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.

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.

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, President and CEO of the Kansas Health Foundation, stressed 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.