The House today is debating a budget plan put together by Democrats and moderate Republicans as an alternative to the budget bill favored by House GOP leaders.
Here are some of the key , health-related elements in the so-called “Feuerborn amendment” offered by Rep. Bill Feuerborn, the ranking Democrat on the House Appropriations Committee.
The plan calls for about $5.6 billion in general state spending for fiscal 2011, which begins July 1. It would be about $222 million less than the budget recommended by the governor but about $207 million more than the GOP leadership plan.
For the moment, the plan is considered a front runner in the overall budgeting process with the only other alternative still in play being the plan passed by the Senate. The Feuerborn amendment and the Senate plan have many common points but the Senate plan calls for slightly more spending.
Here are some components of the Feuerborn plan dealing with health-related programs and services:
• It would eliminate three full-time positions at the Kansas Department of Health and Environment rather than the 18 positions initially proposed by the House Ways and Means Committee.
• It would cut KDHE’s draw on the State General Fund by an additional 2.5 percent.
• It includes $1.1 million – $382,900 from the State General Fund – to make telehealth services available to an additional 500 frail seniors.
• It would add $700,000 to Kansas Department on Aging meal programs.
• It would end Medicaid coverage for over-the-counter eye drops, decongestants, cough and cold medicines, for savings of about $200,000.
• It would cut support for Medicaid-funded hospice services by $4.2 million.
House rejects GOP leadership plan
• Like the Senate bill, it would direct the Kansas Health Policy Authority to contract for a one-year pilot project aimed at recovering misspent Medicaid dollars and assumes that would raise about $25 million for agency operations.
• It calls for more than $4.1 million in wage and salary reductions at the Kansas Department of Social and Rehabilitation Services; $526,316 in wage and salary reductions at the Kansas Health Policy Authority.
• It would raise HealthWave premiums by $40. Currently, premiums range from $20 to $75 per family per month, depending on income. That range would increase to $60 to $115 per family per month.
• It would set aside an additional $10.9 million for community based services for the developmentally disables; $11.9 million for the physically disabled.
• It would eliminate funding for funerals for the indigent.
• Restores support – roughly $100,000 – for the Youth Mentoring program founded by former Gov. Kathleen Sebelius and promoted by Kansas State University Head Football Coach Bill Snyder.