TOPEKA — The Kansas Department for Aging and Disability Services has scheduled more informational sessions on KanCare, Gov. Sam Brownback's plan to remake the state's Medicaid program.

Officials said the meetings would be targeted at people currently receiving Medicaid services, their family members and friends, service providers, advocacy groups and others interested in the various services that would be offered under KanCare, ranging from nursing home care for the elderly to in-home services for the physically disabled or mentally ill.

There will be afternoon and evening sessions in each location with the first session from 1 to 3 p.m. geared toward Medicaid service providers and the second session from 6 to 8 p.m. geared mostly to consumers.

KanCare would shift virtually all of the state's 380,000 Medicaid enrollees into managed care plans run by three for-profit insurance companies.

The new program is scheduled to start Jan. 1, pending federal approvals. Brownback officials also have said they expect the new program to reduce the growth in federal and state Medicaid spending in Kansas by $1 billion over five years.

"With all of the details we now have on the KanCare program, it’s important for us to meet in person with the people directly associated with Medicaid and HealthWave to ensure that complete information about this transition is provided," said KDHE secretary Dr. Robert Moser.

Any person with a disability may request accommodations, such as Braille or an interpreter, in order to participate in a meeting, however, transportation is not provided. Requests for this accommodation should be made at least two working days in advance of the meeting by contacting KanCare@kdheks.gov or by calling Rita Haverkamp at (785) 296-5107.

Dates and locations for the meetings are:

Sept. 24 — Manhattan

Holiday Inn at Campus, Banquet Room, 1641 Anderson Avenue

Sept. 24 — Pittsburg

Memorial Auditorium Theater, 503 North Pine Street

Sept. 24 — Colby

Colby Community College Cultural, Arts Center, Frahm Theater, 1255 S. Range Avenue

Sept. 24 — Dodge City

Dodge City Senior Center, 2408 Central

Sept. 25 — Atchison

Atchison Heritage Conference Center, Mercantile Room, 710 South 9th Street

Sept. 25 — Chanute

Neosho Community College, Sanders Hall Auditorium, 800 W 14th Street

Sept. 25 — Russell

Fossil Creek Hotel & Suites, 1430 South Fossil

Sept. 25 — Pratt

Pratt County Community College, Carpenter Auditorium, 348 NE State Road 61

Sept. 26 — Olathe

Holiday Inn, Ballroom A/B, 101 W. 151st Street

Sept. 26 — Emporia

Emporia Senior Center, 603 E. 12th Avenue

Sept. 26 — Hutchinson

Hutchinson Community College, Stringer Fine Arts Center, Gallery Theatre, 1300 North Plum

Sept. 26 — El Dorado

El Dorado Civic Center, 201 E. Central

Sept. 27 — Teleconference

Providers – 1 - 2:30 p.m.

Consumers – 3 - 4:30 p.m.

Call-in Information:

Participant Dial-In: 866-524-0571

Passcode: 23973552

This call will have operator-assisted questions. Presentation materials and handouts will be posted here no later than the day before the teleconference, said KDHE officials.