By Dave Ranney
KHI News Service
Harvey County Health Department administrator Rita Flickinger, seated, talks about the importance of public health during a “Call for Stories” video session Wednesday at the Kansas Public Health Association’s fall conference in Wichita. Plans call for using association members’ stories in a Web-based training package. (Dave Ranney/KHI)
WICHITA, Sept. 19
State employees” families are about to get a major break on their health insurance premiums.
Kansas Health Policy Authority Executive Director Marcia Nielsen billboarded the coming changes in a speech here Wednesday to the Kansas Public Health Association”s fall conference. To emphasize the significance of the change, Nielsen jokingly said, “I”m going to be super popular when you see the state employees” health insurance plans.”
The new plans will be announced Oct. 1; startup begins Jan. 1.
Nielsen said the plans will include:
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Up to $300 in smoking cessation assistance per employee per year.
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Incentives for taking part in health risk assessments to help craft personal health improvement plans.
“I want to give every (participant) 50 bucks, but that”s not final yet,” Nielsen said. “I want us to do at least that much.”
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A significant increase in the state”s contribution for health insurance premium costs for those with family plans.
“It”s going to be fabulous,” Nielsen said. “Right now, we pay for almost all the health insurance costs for singles but we don”t do anywhere near as well for families. That”s going to change.”
Nielsen declined to elaborate on the contribution increase.
“I think it”s best that we save that for Oct. 1,” she said.
Nielsen”s announcement struck a chord with Kansas Department of Health and Environment employees in the audience.
“I think it”s great,” said Brandon Skidmore, a grant administrator at KDHE. “It adds more personal responsibility to health care coverage, which is a plus in terms of promoting behavioral changes in individuals.”
About 250 health officials attended the conference.
During other conference sessions:
Sen. Susan Wagle, R-Wichita, cautioned against assuming that legislators will be willing to raise taxes to finance health care reform.
“I think the public will throw out legislators who raise taxes, no matter what the cause,” she said. Wagle is chairwoman of the Senate Health Care Strategies Committee.
Wagle and Mary Jayne Hellebust, executive director of the Tobacco Free Kansas Coalition, said advocacy group-sponsored “Days at the Capitol” are ineffective.
“Developing personal relationships with your legislators is more effective,” Hellebust said.
-Dave Ranney is a staff writer for KHI News Service, which specializes in coverage of health issues facing Kansans. He can be reached at
dranney@khi.org
or at 785-233-5443, ext. 128.