By Mike Shields
KHI News Service
TOPEKA, March 21
Bills representing the Kansas Health Policy Authority”s six recommendations for health care reform to be done this legislative session were introduced in the Senate and House spending committees Wednesday.
The bills, meant to be identical for consideration by each chamber, were introduced without numbers and in conceptual form to the House Appropriations Committee and the Senate Ways and Means Committee.
They represent the health policy authority”s major proposals for this session and are expected to include the following:
* Early detection and screening for newborns.
Expand screening for newborns from our current level of four tests to twenty-nine which will lead to early diagnosis and intervention that will pay immeasurable benefits in future years. The House last week voted to fund the expanded screening. Estimated cost: $1.2 million.
* Medicaid outreach and enrollment expansion.
Expand the marketing of programs available to the public in order to educate Kansans about the HealthWave program and health and wellness through: (1) designing an online application and screening tool for potential beneficiaries, (2) developing and implementing a targeting marketing campaign and (3) employing additional outreach workers. Members of the Senate Ways and Means Committee have indicated they are supportive of stepped-up outreach. Estimated cost to the State General Fund would be $336,000 or $822,000 all funds.
* Consider flexibilities available through the federal Deficit Reduction Act, which would allow use of Medicaid dollars in new ways. This has strong support in the Legislature, particularly among House Republicans who want Medicaid money used to subsidize private insurance premium costs. The state Medicaid program has already received a $910,000 federal grant and is pursuing others. House GOP leaders have already met privately with federal officials to discuss options available through the Deficit Reduction Act.
* Premium assistance: Use federal and state Medicaid and/or SCHIP dollars to subsidize the purchase of private health insurance for families with incomes under 50 percent of federal poverty guidelines. This would be phased in over two years with the $11 million cost coming in the second year
* Promoting price and quality transparency through a two-phased approach that collects data currently available in one convenient location through the health policy authority and state libraries and then adds health care pricing and quality data. Estimated cost to the State General Fund is $425,000; or $543,000 all funds.
*
Increasing Health Information Technology/Exchange (HIT/HIE).
Building on the work of the Health Care Cost Containment Commission and the health policy authority, the state should establish an HIE center through a public/private entity as a single coordination point for Kansas HIE efforts. Estimated cost is $750,000 SGF or $1 million all funds.
Also on Wednesday, the Senate gave final approval to substitute for
Senate Bill 309
,
which is the health policy authority”s plan for crafting a more significant reform package to be considered by the 2008 Legislature.
House Resolution 6015
was also introduced in the House on Wednesday. The measure, which is meant to serve as the overarching “vision” statement for the House GOP health reform package, which is to be unveiled this week, had 67 co-sponsors.
A second measure in the GOP reform package, HB 2591
, also was introduced. That bill, dubbed the Kansas Medicaid Reform Act of 2007, is about 50 pages long. A third bill in the package is expected Thursday.
-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.