Our future relies on the health and well-being of our next generation. A Health Care Package approved by the Legislature will provide our most vulnerable citizens with access to health care and is a critical step toward health reform and a healthy future for Kansas.

What is the Health Care Package?
On May 3, the House and Senate overwhelmingly approved (116-4 in the House, 34-1 in the Senate) a Health Care Package that will expand health care services for:

• Children. Preventive care and on-time immunizations are a critical factor in raising a generation of children that is equipped for school and for life. The approved Health Care Package will provide the fastest-growing group of uninsured Kansas children with access to health care by extending the state's HealthWave eligibility limit from 200 to 250 percent of poverty. Families who earn 250 percent of the poverty level or less ($44,000 for a family of three) will become eligible to enroll their children for health insurance through the HealthWave program. Families pay a monthly premium based upon their household income. In turn, those children are less likely to experience chronic illnesses and school absences and more likely to grow up to become healthy adults.

• Expectant Mothers. A healthy pregnancy equals a healthy start for our youngest citizens. The approved Health Care Package will extend prenatal care and dental services to more low-income pregnant women in Kansas. When mothers receive adequate prenatal and dental care, their babies are less likely to be born pre-term and less likely to require costly medical services down the road.

• Low-income Kansans. Providing more resources for uninsured adults will result in increased preventive care and earlier diagnosis of serious medical conditions. The Health Care Package will increase funding for community health care clinics, expand the length of COBRA benefits for recently unemployed Kansans, and provide cancer screening options for low-income Kansans.

The Health Care Package is a fiscally-responsible proposal that will provide more Kansans with access to health care. And, it’s a positive first step toward health reform in Kansas.

Resources & Links
KAC's Legislative Brief on Uninsured Children
Graph: Fastest-Growing Group of Uninsured Children
Graph: Growth of Insurance Premiums vs. Poverty Level
Map: SCHIP Eligibility Level in Neighboring States
Kansas HealthWave Web site