IMMEDIATE RELEASE

May 10, 2007 

Contact: Rep. Jeff Colyer, MD 913/338-5600 

KANCARE MAJOR HEALTH REFORM SIGNED BY GOVERNOR

Topeka – Today, Governor Kathleen Sebilius signed SB-11, the Foundations of Health Reform Act of 2007.  Previously it passed by unanimous votes in the Senate and in the House.   This is the first comprehensive health reform bill to pass the legislature in years.  Attending were the bill’s principal author Representative Jeff Colyer, House Speaker Melvin Neufeld, and several other legislators.

It is the product of bipartisan support of KanCare reforms that were introduced earlier this spring.

“Some people wanted to study health care for another year.  Kansans demanded real reform and we built a bipartisan coalition to start today.  It commits  us to even more comprehensive reforms over the next two years,” said Task Force Chairman Rep. Jeff Colyer, MD (R) and a first year representative from Overland Park.  “Our bill includes real Medicaid reform, making commercial insurance more affordable, starts to move people off Medicaid and the uninsured rolls to private insurance, and helps those without insurance.”

Task Force Members developed KanCare, a four-part health care plan that uses market forces to expand coverage, limit costs, improve quality, and guarantee long-term stability for all Kansans.   KanCare proposals were included in House Resolution 6015 which passed previously and SB 11 lays the foundation for reform.

·        Make Commercial Insurance more affordable by using pretax dollars for health and child care and sets up more reforms for next year.

·        Transitions Medicaid and uninsured patients into the private market using targeted approaches.

·        Medicaid Reform starts by tackling waste, fraud and abuse with an inspector general and creates a reform process to consider health opportunity accounts, access to private health plans for Medicaid recipients, and cost controls.

·        Strengthens Free Care Clinics.

Task Force Vice-Chairman Rep. Peggy Mast (R-Emporia) said, “A few weeks ago everyone said health reform was dead.  But the first KanCare bill gives real results and found bipartisan support. “

“Kansans insisted on health reform this year,” commented House Speaker Melvin Neufeld.  “We are now moving on Medicaid reform, making private insurance more affordable, and helping the uninsured.  Most importantly we are doing this by expanding the private sector and market forces not just more government programs.”

-30-