Issue Position: Medicaid Expansion

Issue Position

When the Federal Government passed the Affordable Care Act one of the elements was called a State Medicaid Expansion. This was written into the act to provide medical coverage to the millions of Americans who earn too much to be eligible for Medicaid ($6000 year) because they work at one or more low paying jobs in order to provide for their families. There is a gap in the plan that the Federal Government planned to fill by providing Medicaid coverage to those families. In Kansas we believe the number is about 180,000. However, when the money came to Kansas in 2010, Governor Brownback sent it back and refused to accept the money and/or expand the Medicaid services, leaving our Kansas citizens out of insurance coverage. This is unfathomable to me. I was shocked.

To protect the Governor's position, he asked for and received legislation that would require a vote of the Legislature in favor of accepting the expansion money before a governor could accept it. In 2017 both The House and The Senate passed legislation to require the governor to expand Medicaid, but the Governor vetoed it. Efforts to override the veto failed by one vote.

Thus, attempting to reach beyond his terms of office, Brownback effectively handicapped the people of Kansas until they elect not only a new Governor but a new House and Senate as well. This year during the August primary the Republican party targeted several of their own Representatives and removed them from office just when overturning his plan seemed to be possible. Attempts to vote on Medicaid expansion have been blocked by procedural moves in both the House and the Senate at every turn. I support Medicaid expansion.

Source