Kansas House Approves Low-Income Health Insurance Subsidy

Main Category: Health Insurance / Medical Insurance
Article Date: 28 Mar 2008 - 8:00 PST

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The Kansas House on Tuesday voted 103-20 to approve legislation that would create an insurance subsidy for low-income residents and expand other health care programs, the Wichita Eagle reports. The measure would provide $4 million to fund the first year of the insurance subsidy. The state Senate eliminated the subsidy provisions from its version of the bill in favor of a modest expansion of SCHIP.

The legislation also would expand Medicaid coverage, and dental and anti-smoking programs to pregnant women with incomes up to 200% of the federal poverty level. Most services currently are limited to individuals with annual incomes up to 150% of the poverty level.

In addition, the bill would:

• Mandate that group that employees be allowed to pay their share of premiums on a pretax basis;
  
  
• Allocate additional funds for cancer screenings at safety net clinics and rural health centers;
  
  
• Launch new efforts to increase enrollment of eligible children in programs for low-income families; and
  
  
• Increase the amount of time that workers can continue health coverage when changing jobs.
  

The House version would cost an estimated $10 million (Klepper, Wichita Eagle, 3/26).

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