IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
 

REP. COLYER:  GOVERNOR MISSED HEALTH CARE OPPORTUNITY

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Rep. Jeff Colyer, MD
913338-5600

Overland Park/Topeka—Kansas House of Representatives Dr. Jeff Colyer (R-Overland Park), the only physician in the Kansas House and the leader of the House Health Reform Task Force, was disappointed with Governor Kathleen Sebelius’s health reform proposals. 

“The Governor missed a dramatic opportunity to make healthcare more affordable for all Kansans,” said Rep. Colyer, MD.  “We need to slow soaring health costs so health insurance doesn’t get further out of reach for average Kansans.”

Representative Colyer supports many of the Health Policy Authority’s recommendations and looks forward to working with the KHPA to work out the details of legislation.

“But there are glaring omissions,” said Colyer.  “Health reform is much more than just expanding a government financed care that would not begin until 2012.  Private insurance coverage is falling because of cost and we need to make health insurance affordable for all Kansans.”

“Kansans want results now.  It seems politically unrealistic to raise taxes in 2008 to expand a government health program two years into the next governor’s term (2012).  In fact, the program she wants to expand does not even exist yet and won’t be fully implemented until 2012,” said Colyer whose bill (SB 11) set up the expanded Medicaid program last year.

“Kansans insist that the number one issue in healthcare is affordability.  None of the Governor’s proposals will make healthcare more affordable. Even Sen. Obama insists that the key to getting more people covered is affordablity,” said Colyer.

Rep. Colyer proposes to make private insurance more affordable for every Kansan through tax changes, helping Kansans with catastrophic medical bills, and cutting costly bureaucracy.  Colyer’s proposal will help Kansans who lose their health insurance or Medicaid benefits keep their coverage.

“The Governor missed the chance to address the tremendous shortages of nurses, doctors, specialists, and health personnel. She ignored malpractice reform which drives up costs and keeps doctors and nurses out of Kansas,” said Colyer.   Rep Colyer is proposing a comprehensive look to make sure Kansas has enough doctors and nurses to take care of our growing healthcare needs.

“Kansas Medicaid is a giant HMO and has not been modernized for a quarter century,” said Colyer.  “We should not miss the the chance to modernize Medicaid to reward healthy choices and staying out of the ER, preserve benefits, and control long term costs.”

“I look forward to working with my House colleagues and the Governor to bring real health reform that Kansans demand,” said Colyer.

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