Republican Task Force hopes KanCare plan is beginning of state's health care reform

Saying it was the beginning of a road map for state health care, Rep. Jeff Colyer, R-Overland Park, on Monday unveiled the KanCare Plan designed by the House Republican Task Force on Health Care.

"This sets the foundation for larger reforms next year," Colyer said.

"We have big issues with health care in Kansas. There is a lack of market competition, skyrocketing costs and thousands of uninsured children. Our health care system is not well, and if we don't pass major legislation this year, we will further harm the health of Kansans and cost the taxpayers millions of dollars," said Colyer, chairman of the task force and a member of the House Health and Human Services Committee. "Our approach preserves the safety net thousands of Kansans depend upon while reducing the number of uninsured and expanding the private sector rather than adding more government programs."

The KanCare Plan has four parts, the first of which seeks to make commercial insurance more affordable by allowing consumers to pay for health care with pre-tax dollars and encouraging more insurance companies to operate in Kansas so costs are held down through competition.

The plan's second part calls for using a connector model to transition Medicaid and uninsured patients to private insurance.

The KanCare Plan's third part would reform Medicaid into a new MediKan program. The program would offer patients more benefit plans, some targeted for children, seniors, or patients with diabetes. The MediKan program would give benefactors a Health Opportunity Account with money to go toward visit co-pays, eyeglasses and weight-loss programs.

The fourth part of the plan calls for strengthening "charity care" given by emergency rooms and clinics. Supporters of the KanCare plan say that because the first three components would reduce the number of uninsured, the burden on hospitals, emergency rooms and clinics to provide care for those without insurance would be reduced. In addition, the plan's fourth component would create incentives for providers to give more free care.

"I think this is the first time we've had all these moving parts together," said House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls. "It's how you put the parts together."

Neufeld said that bills for some components of the proposal would be floated before committees soon, possibly by the end of the week. Several of the bills, he said, will delegate the decisions regarding state health care reforms to the Kansas Health Policy Authority.

"We studied varied approaches other states are taking to solve their health care issues as well as the governor's proposed expansion of Medicaid in our state," said task force vice-chairman Rep. Peggy Mast, R-Emporia. "KanCare will give our great state the health care stability it needs and deserves."

Members of the KHPA, which met Monday, also weighed in on the plan.

"I think we need to acknowledge that we're not going to solve this problem within a single legislative session," said Ned Holland Jr., senior vice president of Embarq Corp., and committee member.

The KHPA discussed several short and long-term efforts during its Monday meeting. The group will next meet March 13, when drafts regarding the implementation of some components will be reviewed.

Anna Staatz can be reached at (785) 296-0905

or anna.staatz@cjonline.com.