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Stakeholders Provide Insights on FY27 KDADS Budget Requests
Numerous stakeholders met at the Sunflower Foundation meeting space on Monday afternoon to hear concerns and advocacy plans for the FY27 budget. The items laid out to the KDADS Secretary will then be compiled into a list of recommendations for the Governor later this fall, with the Governor’s budget being released at the beginning of legislative session. Stakeholders are waiting to see what opportunities ahead of legislative session will be available to present these recommendations to legislators with the new budget process.
LeadingAge Kansas and Kansas Healthcare Association aligned on items involving funding for nursing homes such as continuing the statutorily required rebase, looking at how to tier and make permanent a Medicaid and Behavioral Health add-on, and raising incentives and the RPPF to be reflective of today’s market and costs. The Kansas Hospital Association also supported continued funding of the Medicaid add-on as it helps alleviate stressors with availability of care and transitions.
Numerous stakeholders, including advocates such as Kansas Advocates for Better Care (KABC) and KanCare Advocates Network (KAN), advocated for additional funding towards the HCBS waivers, including FE and PD, to prevent any potential waitlists. LeadingAge Kansas requested this as well.
For other services, Midland Care and LeadingAge Kansas advocated for additional funding and data towards senior nutrition programs to address growing waitlists and federal funding cuts. They also called for ensuring PACE providers be rebased at 90% of the amount otherwise paid (AWOP).
Other notable items centered around lack of surveyor staffing and the Long Term Care Ombudsman and KABC wanting to ensure additional funding to raise those pay rates or looking at alternative models that allow for multiple disciplines could occur. The concern being the lack of timeliness with addressing not only recerts, but complaint investigations.
KDADS Aging Commissioner David Anderson will be retiring at the end of the month (August 2025). It sounds like the agency intends to fill that position moving forward.
KDHE Medicaid Eligibility Calls – Follow Up Information
Last week KDHE hosted their NF Medicaid Eligibility and HCBS Medicaid Eligibility calls. These calls occur quarterly to give providers additional insights and reminders on how to navigate the Medicaid eligibility process and work with KDHE staff, residents, and their families.
For HCBS providers, you can find the recording of last week’s call here, as well as a copy of the PowerPoint and QnA. We are still waiting on the recording and documents for the NF provider call.
Special Committee on Health and Human Services Meets on Contract Staffing for State Hospitals
A special committee comprised of both House and Senate Kansas legislative members will meet on Tuesday and Wednesday next week to discuss the ongoing concerns surrounding contract staffing at the state hospitals. There will potentially be a larger discussion around healthcare staffing shortages in general. LeadingAge Kansas will submit written testimony describing the issues and costs faced on the long-term care side and steps to take to address contract staffing practices and the workforce shortages. You can watch the hearing on YouTube.
