KHI NEWS SERVICE
TOPEKA, July 10
The Kansas Health Policy Authority is planning a 20-city listening tour to hear public comments about health reform.
“As we develop health reform options over the next several months, we need to listen to the concerns and suggestions of consumers, businesses, and providers all across the state,” said Marcia Nielsen, executive director of the health policy authority. “We want to know what aspects of our current health system are working, and then strengthen and build on them. But we also want to know the difficulties that Kansans have in seeking access to affordable health care and what the authority can do to help.”
The meetings will be roundtable discussions with individuals from various groups, including representatives of farm organizations, chambers of commerce, hospital administrators, insurers, health-care providers, consumers, members of religious organizations, and others.
Questions for the meetings are being developed by the health policy authority”s board and advisory councils, said health policy authority spokeswoman Megan Ingmire.
“This is an opportunity to go into the communities and reach out to additional people who are not on our advisory councils,” she said. “We want to hear input on the current state of our health care system and how we can strengthen and improve that.”
Kansans can also send their comments, suggestions and personal stories about the health- care system to the health policy authority on its Web site,
www.khpa.ks.gov
.
Suggestions will be accepted for review between July 1 and Dec. 31 and shared with the health policy authority board.
More than 30 such suggestions and stories were submitted in the first day that comments were taken on the Web site, Ingmire said.
On Nov. 1, the health policy authority board will present its health reform options to the governor and Legislature to consider during the 2008 Kansas Legislature.
The tour will start at 8:30 a.m. on July 25 in Overland Park with a roundtable discussion including members of the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce before visiting the Silver City Health Center in Kansas City at 10:00 a.m.
Other stops include:
*
Wednesday, July 25 Overland Park, Kansas City, Leavenworth, Atchison
* Thursday, July 26 Wichita
* Friday, July 27 Wellington, Winfield
* Thursday, Aug. 2 Ft. Scott, Pittsburg, and Parsons
* Friday, Aug. 3 Goodland, Norton, and Hays
* Thursday, Aug. 23 Emporia and Topeka
* Friday, Aug. 24 Hutchinson, Dodge City, and Garden City
* Tuesday, Aug. 28 Topeka, Manhattan, and Salina
More cities will be added once additional venues and meetings are confirmed, according to the health policy authority.
The list of locations and meeting times on the listening tour can be found at the health policy authority”s Web site.