For Immediate Release:         
August 21, 2023
          
Contact:         
Cassie Nichols
[email protected]

ICYMI: Governor Kelly Says Medicaid Expansion is Vital for Southeast Kansas and the Whole State

KEY QUOTE: “Medicaid expansion would go a long way to ensuring people in your region have access to affordable health care and mental health care, which has a huge impact on the economy.”

Gov. Kelly: Medicaid expansion is vital for SE Kansas
Hailey Phillips, Chanute Tribune
August 17, 2023

It is critical to pass Medicaid expansion in the upcoming 2024 legislative session, especially for the Southeast Kansas region, according to Kansas Gov. Laura Kelly.
“One of the things I’m trying to get done that would impact Southeast Kansas — probably more than any other region of the state — is Medicaid expansion,” Gov. Kelly said. “I’ve been advocating hard for that, all of the five times in a row I’ve presented Medicaid expansion to the legislature...For people all across the state, but particularly in Southeast (Kansas), the need for access to affordable health care is acute. And you have rural hospitals that are in potential jeopardy of closing.”
“Our problem has been that legislative leadership has not allowed this to come for a vote. I think if the ranking file legislators were allowed to vote on this, it would pass,” she said. “And so, it’s going to be incumbent upon me to figure out a way to encourage leadership to give their caucuses that opportunity. So we will probably be more focused on that than anything else in this upcoming session.”
On Wednesday, Kelly also spoke about how the state has added over 60,000 jobs since she assumed the role of governor.

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