Budget earmark for reading program raises questions

A late, largely unnoticed addition to the budget bill that was approved in the final days of this year’s legislative session appears to be a boon for a Kansas company that sells access to a computer program intended to help elementary students learn to read.

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Obamacare a concern for school districts, particularly rural ones

School administrators at small, rural districts around the state say they are alarmed and confounded by the looming, new costs they face with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

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Payroll agents for the disabled on Medicaid say they are struggling

Medicaid services for the disabled in Kansas have been undergoing dramatic changes in the past 18 months and in response many smaller providers of so-called “payroll agent” or “financial management services” for disabled persons who prefer to hire their own care attendants are either changing their business models or simply going out of business.

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Kansas insurers gearing up to market new plans on exchange

Kansas insurance companies are preparing to sell a range of health plans on a new, online marketplace being created by the federal government. But large numbers of Americans who stand to benefit most from the marketplaces still know little to nothing about the law or how it will affect them.

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Personal Care Attendants: KanCare's unheralded workers

Every day a small army of Kansans — officials estimate there are about 16,000 of them — are at work helping some of the state’s neediest cope with the demands of daily life so that they can remain in their own homes rather than nursing homes or state institutions.

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Policy & Research

Convening: Nonprofit Journalism and the Role of Philanthropy

0 | Jun. 14, 2013 | Presentations

The logistics behind operating and funding a nonprofit journalism enterprise was the topic of a gathering today of the Kansas Grantmakers in Health trustees. Nonprofit media discussed included the Texas Tribune, the California HealthCare Foundation's Center for Health Reporting, the KHI News Service, and various media funded by the Colorado Health Foundation, by the Sunflower Foundation and by the HealthCare Foundation of Greater Kansas City.

Issue Brief: Children's Initiatives Fund

0 | May. 09, 2013 | Child Health

This new issue brief explains the origins of the Children’s Initiatives Fund (CIF) in Kansas and how the fund is used to support children’s programs, especially those that focus on early childhood, health, mental health and child welfare.

Presentation: Physician Survey on Early Childhood Mental Health Practices in Kansas

0 | May. 02, 2013 | Child Health, Presentations

The Kansas Health Institute delivered this presentation at the 2013 Kansas Association for Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Annual Conference.

Annual Insurance Update 2012

0 | Apr. 17, 2013 | Health Insurance

As efforts to reform the health care system — nationally and here in Kansas — continue, this Annual Insurance Update 2012 provides new information from the U.S. Census Bureau on insurance coverage in Kansas.

Testimony - Casino Development in Southeast Kansas

0 | Mar. 25, 2013 | KHI Legislative Testimony

Testimony was offered by the Kansas Health Institute on Senate Bill 215 and House Bill 2168, both of which would incentivize casino development in Southeast Kansas.

Health Reform Brief: Affordable Care Act Will Increase Coverage, Demand for Mental Health Services

0 | Mar. 21, 2013 | Health Reform

This Kansas Health Institute health reform brief examines how the Affordable Care Act (ACA) may affect Kansans with mental illness as well as mental health providers.

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News

Kansas insurance officials hope to give federal insurance exchange a local flavor

1 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Health Reform, Insurance

Kansas is among the states where federal officials will run the new health insurance exchanges but the state’s top insurance regulators said they hope to inject a local flavor. Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said her agency has been in discussion with the feds about having some of the more complex calls to the exchange’s toll-free helpline roll over to her department so that Kansas consumers come in touch quickly with local people more familiar with the Kansas insurance plans offered in the exchange and the governing regulations.

KDHE chief to discuss interest in integrating primary care and public health

0 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Community Health, KDHE, Health Care Delivery

Kansas Department of Health and Environment Secretary Dr. Robert Moser is scheduled to discuss the agency’s ongoing interest in finding ways to integrate primary care and public health during a Wednesday appearance before Kansas Association of Local Health Departments.

Mental health grants available

0 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Foundations, Mental Health

The Tower Mental Health Foundation is soliciting grant applications for projects and activities that support mental health services in Kansas.

Kansas City among sites included in national mental health initiative

0 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Mental Health

As part of a high-profile White House initiative, the metropolitan area is among a handful of communities around the country expected to gather hundreds of people for a meeting about mental illness within the next few months.

Study proposes better accountability for graduate medical education programs

0 | Jun. 17, 2013 | Workforce

The federal government spends billions each year to support programs that train doctors, but the number of physicians who choose primary care or rural practice remains inadequate despite repeated calls for greater program accountability. A new article published in the journal "Academic Medicine" proposes ways to better measure the results of graduate medical education.

Budget earmark for reading program raises questions

0 | Jun. 17, 2013 | Budget, Children, Legislature

A late, largely unnoticed addition to the budget bill that was approved in the final days of this year’s legislative session appears to be a boon for a Kansas company that sells access to a computer program intended to help elementary students learn to read.

DCF picks child support enforcement contractors

0 | Jun. 14, 2013 | Children, Agencies

Expanded privatization, according to officials at the Kansas Department for Children and Families, could increase child support collections by $52 million over a three-year period.

Regional HHS director meets with Kansas health consumer advocates

0 | Jun. 14, 2013 | Advocacy, Health Reform

The regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services met with representatives of about 10 Kansas health consumer groups to discuss implementation of the Affordable Care Act. "It will be ready. It will happen," said administrator Stephene Moore of the Oct. 1 launch date for the ACA insurance marketplace.

Advocacy group launches domestic violence, sexual assault awareness campaign

0 | Jun. 14, 2013 | Advocacy, Community Health

In Kansas last year, one-fourth of the homicides involved domestic violence.

Truman hospital's $6M expansion part of growing cancer treatment effort

0 | Jun. 13, 2013 | KU Medical Center, Hospitals

When Truman Medical Centers opens its expanded cancer-treatment center next year, hospital officials say the $6 million expansion will make the facility more comfortable and convenient for patients.

Controversial tax bill signed into law

0 | Jun. 13, 2013 | Budget

Governor Sam Brownback today signed into law a controversial tax bill, using as his backdrop the construction site of a residential and retail development here that he said symbolized the accelerated economic activity that would result from his campaign to eliminate the state income tax.

Kansas AG asks governor to veto cuts to his agency

0 | Jun. 13, 2013 | Budget, Legislature

Kansas Attorney General Derek Schmidt is urging Gov. Sam Brownback to veto some provisions of the hard-fought budget agreement recently reached by state legislators that would cut or cap spending at the Attorney General's Office.

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Budget earmark for reading program raises questions

0 | Jun. 17, 2013 | Budget, Children, Legislature

A late, largely unnoticed addition to the budget bill that was approved in the final days of this year’s legislative session appears to be a boon for a Kansas company that sells access to a computer program intended to help elementary students learn to read.

Kansas insurance officials hope to give federal insurance exchange a local flavor

1 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Health Reform, Insurance

Kansas is among the states where federal officials will run the new health insurance exchanges but the state’s top insurance regulators said they hope to inject a local flavor. Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said her agency has been in discussion with the feds about having some of the more complex calls to the exchange’s toll-free helpline roll over to her department so that Kansas consumers come in touch quickly with local people more familiar with the Kansas insurance plans offered in the exchange and the governing regulations.

Regional HHS director meets with Kansas health consumer advocates

0 | Jun. 14, 2013 | Advocacy, Health Reform

The regional director for the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services met with representatives of about 10 Kansas health consumer groups to discuss implementation of the Affordable Care Act. "It will be ready. It will happen," said administrator Stephene Moore of the Oct. 1 launch date for the ACA insurance marketplace.

Mental health grants available

0 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Foundations, Mental Health

The Tower Mental Health Foundation is soliciting grant applications for projects and activities that support mental health services in Kansas.

Kansas City among sites included in national mental health initiative

0 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Mental Health

As part of a high-profile White House initiative, the metropolitan area is among a handful of communities around the country expected to gather hundreds of people for a meeting about mental illness within the next few months.

DCF picks child support enforcement contractors

0 | Jun. 14, 2013 | Children, Agencies

Expanded privatization, according to officials at the Kansas Department for Children and Families, could increase child support collections by $52 million over a three-year period.

KU Medical Center and hospital chiefs proclaim new era of cooperation

0 | Oct. 30, 2007 | Imported

TOPEKA, Oct. 30 - Auditors on Tuesday said they found nothing improper about a $1.8 million "separation" payment made earlier this year to former University of Kansas Hospital president Irene Cumming after she told the hospital's board she was resigning.

Health plans gear up to sell directly to consumers

0 | Dec. 04, 2012 | Health Reform, Insurance

As the health care overhaul moves ahead, the nation's health insurers are scrambling to reinvent themselves, hoping to boost their image and entice millions of Americans to enroll, some for the first time.

Advocacy group launches domestic violence, sexual assault awareness campaign

0 | Jun. 14, 2013 | Advocacy, Community Health

In Kansas last year, one-fourth of the homicides involved domestic violence.

Kansas insurance officials hope to give federal insurance exchange a local flavor

1 | Jun. 18, 2013 | Health Reform, Insurance

Kansas is among the states where federal officials will run the new health insurance exchanges but the state’s top insurance regulators said they hope to inject a local flavor. Insurance Commissioner Sandy Praeger said her agency has been in discussion with the feds about having some of the more complex calls to the exchange’s toll-free helpline roll over to her department so that Kansas consumers come in touch quickly with local people more familiar with the Kansas insurance plans offered in the exchange and the governing regulations.

Obamacare a concern for school districts, particularly rural ones

2 | Jun. 10, 2013 | Community Health, Health Reform, Insurance

School administrators at small, rural districts around the state say they are alarmed and confounded by the looming, new costs they face with the implementation of the Affordable Care Act.

Administration announces website to encourage exercise

1 | Jun. 07, 2013 | KDHE

The governor and state health officer announced a coming online exercise program designed to encourage Kansans to exercise more, and state workers who do so can earn insurance premium discounts.

Senator plans foster care reform initiative

3 | Jun. 04, 2013 | Children, Agencies, Legislature

A state senator who has adopted four boys out of foster care said he’s putting together a plan for reforming the state’s foster care and adoption programs. “There need to be changes in every single part of the system,” said Sen. Forrest Knox, an Altoona Republican.

State officials submit first quarterly KanCare report to feds

2 | Jun. 07, 2013 | KanCare, Medicaid-CHIP

Kansas officials this week made public their first quarterly report to federal authorities on the progress of KanCare, Gov. Sam Brownback's initiative to move virtually all the state's Medicaid enrollees into privately run managed care plans.

House speaker pleased with KanCare but doesn't want Medicaid expansion

2 | Apr. 01, 2013 | Legislature, Medicaid-CHIP

Prominent politicians born in log cabins weren’t that common even in the old days. Before House Speaker Ray Merrick came along, Kansas hadn’t had one since Charles Curtis, the long-time U.S. senator who went on to become vice president under Herbert Hoover.

Kansas insurers gearing up to market new plans on exchange

2 | May. 27, 2013 | Health Reform, Insurance

Kansas insurance companies are preparing to sell a range of health plans on a new, online marketplace being created by the federal government. But large numbers of Americans who stand to benefit most from the marketplaces still know little to nothing about the law or how it will affect them.

E-cigarettes unregulated until legal status determined

5 | Nov. 01, 2010 | Agencies, Tobacco

Proponents say e-cigarettes deliver only nicotine with none of the hazardous chemicals of traditional cigarettes. The smoke-like vapor emitted is virtually odorless and harmless, they say. But opponents say little is known of e-cigarettes' health effects and until they've been rigorously studied, they should be banned - at least from public spaces.

Final deliberations of sex predator task force will be closed to the public

1 | Jun. 03, 2013 | Agencies, Hospitals, Mental Health

Final deliberations by a task force charged with coming up with a plan for reforming the state’s Sexual Predator Treatment program will be closed to the public, according to state officials. “They want to be able to concentrate on their work and have a frank discussion of what they’re going to recommend without an audience,” said Angela de Rocha, a spokesperson for the Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services, the agency that created the task force. “I don’t blame them.”

Personal Care Attendants: KanCare's unheralded workers

2 | May. 20, 2013 | KanCare, Medicaid-CHIP

Every day a small army of Kansans — officials estimate there are about 16,000 of them — are at work helping some of the state’s neediest cope with the demands of daily life so that they can remain in their own homes rather than nursing homes or state institutions.

Budget Blog

The new State General Fund outlook

Jun. 10, 2013

Kansas policymakers have more work to do to create a stable financial outlook. The budget/tax plan now in place is only sustainable if future revenue collections exceed expectations and if new demands on spending — school finance lawsuit, Medicaid expansion, inflation, salary increases, etc. — are avoided.

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Commentary

Cotsoradis: Who will stand up for Kansas children?

0 | Jun. 11, 2013 | Commentary

After the 2012 election, we lost a number of champions for children in the Statehouse. As the 2013 session came to a close, I was left wondering: Who will stand up for Kansas children?


Center for Sharing Public Health Services