D. Charles Hunt, M.P.H., and Carlie J. Houchen, M.P.H., Senior Analysts for the Kansas Health Institute, lead a discussion of both the State and Federal components of vaccine policy decision-making, particularly as it relates to the COVID-19 vaccines.
Read MoreCOVID-19 vaccines are top of mind in 2021, and cases have been declining in Kansas over the past few weeks. However, the pandemic continues to cause death and disrupt communities, and the potential effects of Super Bowl Sunday gatherings and at least one emerging variant (United Kingdom variant) being detected in Kansas will not be known for some time. Despite this uncertainty, the vaccine rollout and decline in #COVID19 cases have some Kansas counties loosening restrictions, particularly around masks and gathering sizes. This edition of A Kansas Twist provides details on these and other aspects of county re-openings.
Read MoreWith the passage of ballot initiatives in 2020, Missouri and Oklahoma joined Nebraska and Colorado to completely surround Kansas with states that have already expanded or will soon expand Medicaid coverage to low-income adults under the terms of the Affordable Care Act. That changing landscape, combined with a new federal administration and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, is likely to influence debate over Medicaid expansion in Kansas in 2021. This issue brief updates previous Kansas Health Institute estimates of the impact a potential expansion of Medicaid would have on KanCare enrollment and costs.
Read MoreWelcome to Pulse on Kansas – Monitoring the Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic in Kansas, a new series reporting data from the U.S. Census Bureau’s Household Pulse Survey on important impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic in Kansas. Just released are the first issue describing the Household Pulse Survey and how it can be used, along with the next two issues examining the impact of the pandemic on mental health and insurance coverage in Kansas. Look for additional issues about once a month over the next year!
Read MoreThis Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) from the CDC found that new cases of COVID-19 decreased 6 percent in Kansas counties with a mask order, and increased 100 percent in counties without one. The findings are based on analysis of cases before and after the July 3 effective date of the original mask order issued by Gov. Kelly. The report was produced collaboratively by the CDC, KDHE and KHI.
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