By Mike Shields
KHI News Service
Rep. Jeff Colyer, R-Overland Park, has been instrumental in putting together the House GOP health care reform package. (Thad Allton/KHI)
TOPEKA, March 23
The centerpiece of the House GOP health care reform package faces an unsure fate in the Senate where President Steve Morris predicted the bill would be “materially altered.”
What is certain is that
House Bill 2591
,
which was renamed Senate Bill 11 shortly after it was introduced late last week, is a large, complex proposal that few supporters or opponents have had time to digest. As of Friday, the Legislature”s Web site still had the earlier number and chamber designation on the bill and there was no written explanation of the proposal”s many components from legislative researchers, just a bill brief and summary prepared by Rep. Jeff Colyer, R-Overland Park, one of the measure”s chief authors.
“Kept in the dark”
According to House GOP leaders there also was lack of understanding about the intent of the bill, which drew quick opposition from the
Kansas Health Policy Authority
,
the governor”s office, and others who said it would “short circuit” the process already in place for considering and recommending major health policy changes. In 2005, the Legislature created the health policy authority and tasked it with “the development of a statewide health policy agenda including health care and health promotion components.”
“I was kept in the dark on the bill and have been kept in the dark on the process,” of developing it, said health policy authority executive director Marcia Nielsen after giving strong and colorful testimony against the bill at its quick hearing Thursday by the House Appropriations subcommittee on social services.
“Gov. Sebelius has not had an opportunity to fully review the bill, however, initially I can tell you she”s concerned that the KHPA was not consulted; nor were the
Steering Committee”s recommendations
on health care considered,” said Nicole Corcoran, the governor”s spokesperson. “Gov. Sebelius is working to improve access to affordable health care for all Kansans, starting with her birth-to-five initiative. Privatizing Medicaid and getting rid of employer-based health insurance don”t appear to be positive steps in that direction.”
But the bill”s chief sponsors and Speaker Melvin Neufeld, R-Ingalls, said there was no intention to “short circuit” the process. And the bill”s authors said neither was it meant to undermine employer-based insurance, though they acknowledge the aim to privatize Medicaid.
“Something to discuss”
The bill was introduced and kicked out of committee quickly because of legislative deadlines, they said. That couldn”t have happened sooner because the bill drafting wasn”t complete. It took six revisors to finish it, Colyer said. The backers also said the bill was a timely signal to the federal government that Kansas is serious about reform and that it was important to get something in place to show that before 2008, which is an election year. It also showed legislative responsiveness to the public and the governor who has complained twice this session that lawmakers aren”t moving fast enough on health care reform.
Also, officials at Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services “told us there would be more money (available to Kansas) because we are innovative. This is a message to the federal government that we”re ready to come to the table,” said Rep. Peggy Mast, R-Emporia. “They have to know where we”re planning to go.”
Colyer and Mast said they were keen to hear reaction to the measure from all quarters and would be open to amendments once the bill is worked on the House floor sometime this week.
“I accept part of (Nielsen”s) criticism,” Colyer said. “We do want to share and have discussion. But now we have something to discuss.”
“I think there”s some misunderstanding what the House wants to do with the bill,” Neufeld said. “The KHPA makes suggestions but also implements policies (determined by the Legislature). I don”t think the bills introduced are any effort to usurp the health policy authority but simply to put more policy on the table for discussion.”
“The Speaker wants to meet with Marci to see what her concerns are. The health policy authority is very important to the discussion of major overhaul of our state”s health care system,” said Sherriene Jones-Sontag, spokesperson for the speaker.
But the way the bill was sprung late in the session drew pause even from Sen. Jim Barnett, R-Emporia, the Senate”s chief proponent of major reform and whose own call for an insurance connector or exchange has been modified but echoed in the GOP House plan.
“I”d like to applaud the House for bringing forth these proposals for health care reform,” Barnett said. “The bill is very long, and very complex. Therefore, I think the bill needs careful study.”
The Senate will likely be open to the short-term solutions proposed in the bill, “and I am open to looking at the bill in that manner,” Barnett said. But the long-term solutions “should go through a process of study and careful scrutiny.”
He said it would be “impractical” to study the entire bill and take action during this session.
“I think that this is a sign of the elevated stature that health care is receiving this session and will receive during the coming sessions of the Kansas Legislature,” Barnett said. “I believe that”s a very positive change.”
Democrats wary
Many House Democrats remain wary of the proposal, which was written without their input.
“I”m not sure anyone has a strong grasp on what”s in that bill,” said Rep. Paul Davis, policy chairman for the House Democratic caucus. “But off the bat, the privatization of Medicaid concerns me. I”m not sure that”s the way to deliver a better quality and cost-effective product. We”ve had problems with the private contractors for Medicaid a number of times. This plan skirts around the edges, but doesn”t attack the basic problem that 10 percent of the population is uninsured. I don”t see how this brings them into the fold. And I”m concerned about the way and speed this is moving through the House. This is something we needed to be seeing weeks ago.”
-Mike Shields is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. He can be reached at
mshields@khi.org
or at 785-233-5443, ext. 123.