Today, we’re publishing candidates’ responses to the following question:
According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, Kansas is one of 10 states that have not expanded Medicaid in the more than a decade since the Affordable Care Act took effect, and it has remained one of our readers’ top issues every election cycle since. Projections suggest expanding Medicaid would allow roughly 150,000 Kansans who can’t currently afford health coverage to be insured. Do you support expanding Medicaid in Kansas? Why or why not?
Below are the answers the Post received from candidates on the issue:
District 7
Ethan Corson (Democratic, incumbent)
I am a strong supporter of Medicaid Expansion and have voted for it every opportunity I’ve had in the Kansas Senate. This policy, which is supported by 70% of Kansans, is a moral and economic imperative for our state.
Kansas is one of only 10 states that hasn’t expanded Medicaid and is the only state in the entire Midwest region not to do so. That means the tax dollars we pay to the federal government are being shipped to other states to provide healthcare for their citizens, while the needs of Kansans continue to go unmet. To date, Kansas has lost out on over $8 billion that could be used to support the 60 rural hospitals at risk of closing, address our healthcare worker shortage, provide healthcare to over 150,000 Kansans, including 45,000 children, grow our economy, and lower premiums for everyone.
While Kansas has experienced record private sector investment, totaling more than $20 billion since 2019, imagine what that number would have been if we had a more attractive healthcare system for businesses and workers and a healthier and therefore more productive workforce.
Plus, under the bill proposed last session, Kansas could have enacted Expansion at no additional cost to taxpayers.
Lastly, Expansion would lower healthcare costs for everyone because those with insurance are paying higher than necessary premiums because healthcare providers are having to raise prices to cover the cost of the uncompensated care they are providing to Kansans who would be covered under Expansion.
Dave Dannov (Republican)
I support Medicaid expansion contingent upon ensuring that funding is guaranteed, reimbursement rates to hospitals and doctors are fair, an acceptable level of support services is available and existing participants maintain their current level of care.
