To: The Kansas State House, The Kansas State Senate, and Governor Laura Kelly
Governor Brownback: Help the poorest Kansans get health care - Expand Medicaid.
Our governor needs to know we expect him to adopt Medicaid expansion for all Kansas citizens whose health, homes, and happiness depend on it. Like people in other states, let’s take advantage of this federal money that our taxes pay for.
Why is this important?
My neighbors pay their mortgage by donating plasma and yet do not qualify for Medicaid in Kansas. They have health conditions that need care but aren’t getting it. A friend goes without his insulin because he cannot afford to buy it but also does not qualify because he is too poor for Obamacare.
Under the Affordable Care Act Kansans who are below 138% of the federal poverty level ($15,856 for an individual and $32,499 for a family of four) are not eligible. This leaves 240,000 Kansans uninsured. It was intended that the Medicaid Expansion would then cover these people but our Governor did not accept it for Kansas. A key provision of the Affordable Care Act is the expansion of the Medicaid program to these Kansans. The federal government will pay most of the costs of financing the Medicaid expansion.