Medicaid Expansion Bill Tracker 2021

On February 1, Governor Laura Kelly announced a new proposal to expand eligibility for Medicaid in Kansas as allowed under the Affordable Care Act (ACA). The proposal builds on previous legislation to expand the program but creates a new funding mechanism for the state share of expansion: revenues from the legalization of medical marijuana. With Republicans increasing their majority in the House and maintaining their majority in the Senate, and both chambers having more conservatives, how the results of the election will affect the Medicaid expansion debate during the 2021 Legislative Session remains to be seen. Nonetheless, many legislators made it an important part of their election platforms.

The following table provides a summary of the main policy elements of previously proposed legislation to expand Medicaid in Kansas, and how those provisions relate to the new proposal announced by the Governor. In her February 1 press release, the Governor indicated that unless otherwise specified, components of her proposal will resemble those of 2020 SB 252, so information on that bill is included in this table. If additional Medicaid expansion proposals are introduced, they will be added to the table over time.

On January 28, 2021, President Joe Biden signed an Executive Order requiring the Secretary of Health and Human Services to review Medicaid policies, practices, demonstrations and waiver authorities approved by the Trump Administration. The outcome of that assessment could affect the likelihood of approval of certain provisions of Medicaid expansion legislation. In addition, federal legislation was introduced in February 2021 to encourage expansion by providing a two-year, 5-percentage point increase in the federal match rate for regular Medicaid to states that newly expand their programs.

Medicaid Expansion Proposals Prior to December 31, 2020

This table summarizes Medicaid expansion proposals in Kansas prior to the 2021 legislative session.