Final Adjournment Report
This update will review the major bills passed by the legislature that we have been following in the 2016 session. A final report on the content and status of all bills will be sent after the Governor completes all of his signature or veto decisions.
Nursing Home Provider Assessment
As discussed last week, Senate Substitute for House Bill 2365 was passed by the legislature before adjournment. The bill (formerly known as SB 457) increases the nursing home provider assessment to $4,908 per licensed bed (formerly set at $1,950). The legislation was presented to the Governor for signature on May 9th, and he has ten days to approve or veto.
If approved by the Governor, the current assessment would increase to $4,908 per licensed bed (or $818 per bed for facilities who fall into one of the 1/6th tier categories). This assessment increase will allow KDADS to rebase nursing home rates to years 2013, 2014 and 2015, and enact an inflation increase through June 30, 2016.
KDADS has posted the proposed nursing home rates for July 1, 2017. The second scenario in the rate notice reflects proposed rates if the new $4,908 assessment goes into effect. View the proposed rates.
State Fiscal Year 2016 and 2017 Budget
The legislature did manage to reach a budget deal before leaving town, found in H Sub for SB 249. However, the budget they passed is unbalanced. The budget bill sweeps money from KDOT, delays payment to the state pension fund, and could force the Governor to make more than $80 million in cuts to state agency programs. Cuts to KanCare provider rates is a possibility.
We still have no indication from the Governor’s office what those cuts will be, or when they will be announced. The Governor still has the ability to veto parts of the budget bill sent to him, and we await any news on that front as well.
The House and Senate votes to pass the budget agreement were extremely close. See where your legislator landed.
All eight Democratic senators and all 28 Democratic representatives voted against the budget bill while Republicans split their votes. Here’s a look at how Republicans voted in both chambers:
Senate
- Yes: Steve Abrams, Arkansas City, Tom Arpke, Salina, Terry Bruce, Hutchinson, Jim Denning, Overland Park, Les Donovan, Wichita, Steve Fitzgerald, Leavenworth, Mitch Holmes, St. John, Dan Kerschen, Garden Plain, Jacob LaTurner, Pittsburg, Jeff Longbine, Emporia, Garrett Love, Montezuma, Julia Lynn, Olathe, Ty Masterson, Andover, Jeff Melcher, Leawood, Michael O’Donnell, Wichita, Rob Olson, Olathe, Ralph Ostmeyer, Grinnell, Mike Petersen, Wichita, Mary Pilcher-Cook, Shawnee, Larry Powell, Garden City, Susan Wagle, Wichita, Rick Wilborn, McPherson.
- No: Molly Baumgardner, Louisburg, Elaine Bowers, Concordia, Jeff King, Independence, Forrest Knox, Altoona, Carolyn McGinn, Sedgwick, Dennis Pyle, Hiawatha, Vicki Schmidt, Topeka, Greg Smith, Overland Park, Caryn Tyson, Parker, Kay Wolf, Prairie Village, plus the 8 Democrats.
House
- Yes: Stephen Alford, Ulysses, Steven Anthimides, Wichita, John Barker, Abilene, Tony Barton, Leavenworth, Sue Boldra, Hays, John Bradford, Lansing, Larry Campbell, Olathe, Blake Carpenter, Derby, Will Carpenter, El Dorado, J.R. Claeys, Salina, Ken Corbet, Topeka, Erin Davis, Olathe, Willie Dove, Bonner Springs, Keith Esau, Olathe, Bud Estes, Dodge City, Mario Goico, Wichita, Ramon Gonzalez, Perry, Amanda Grosserode, Lenexa, Dan Hawkins, Wichita, Dennis Hedke, Wichita, Lane Hemsley, Topeka, Ron Highland, Wamego, Brett Hildabrand, Shawnee, Kyle Hoffman, Coldwater, Michael Houser, Columbus, Steve Huebert, Valley Center, Becky Hutchins, Holton, Russ Jennings, Lakin, Dick Jones, Topeka, Kevin Jones, Wellsville, Mark Kahrs, Wichita, Kasha Kelley, Arkansas City, Jim Kelly, Independence, Mike Kiegerl, Olathe, Marvin Kleeb, Overland Park, Jerry Lunn, Overland Park, Charles Macheers, Shawnee, Les Mason, McPherson, Peggy Mast, Emporia, Craig McPherson, Overland Park, Ray Merrick, Stilwell, Connie O’Brien, Tonganoxie, Leslie Osterman, Wichita, Jan Pauls, Hutchinson, Randy Powell, Olathe, Richard Proehl, Parsons, Ken Rahjes, Agra, Marty Read, Mound City, Marc Rhoades, Newton, Ron Ryckman Jr., Olathe, Ronald Ryckman Sr., Meade, Joseph Scapa, Wichita, Scott Schwab, Olathe, Sharon Schwartz, Washington, Joe Seiwert, Pretty Prairie, Charles Smith, Pittsburg, Gene Suellentrop, Wichita, Bill Sutton, Gardner, James Todd, Overland Park, Jene Vickrey, Louisburg, Troy Waymaster, Bunker Hill, Chuck Weber, Wichita, John Whitmer, Wichita.
- No: Steven Becker, Buhler, Rick Billinger, Goodland, Barbara Bollier, Mission Hills, Rob Bruchman, Overland Park, Lonnie Clark, Junction City, Stephanie Clayton, Overland Park, Susan Concannon, Beloit, Pete DeGraaf, Mulvane, Diana Dierks, Salina, John Doll, Garden City, Blaine Finch, Ottawa, Shannon Francis, Liberal, Linda Gallagher, Lenexa, Randy Garber, Sabetha, Larry Hibbard, Toronto, Don Hill, Emporia, Don Hineman, Dighton, Mark Hutton, Wichita, Steven Johnson, Assaria, Greg Lewis, St. John, Tom Moxley, Council Grove, Fred Patton, Topeka, Virgil Peck, Havana, Tom Phillips, Manhattan, Melissa Rooker, Fairway, John Rubin, Shawnee, Tom Sloan, Lawrence, Susie Swanson, Clay Center, Jack Thimesch, Spivey, Kent Thompson, Iola, Kristey Williams, Augusta, plus the 28 Democrats.
- Absent (3 Republicans): John Edmonds, Great Bend, John Ewy, Jetmore, Don Schroeder, Hesston.
Legislation Approved By Governor
H Sub for SB 55 (Formerly known as HB 2579) Allowing monetary penalties for adult care homes not in compliance with professional liability insurance requirements
SB 408 Strengthening the Abuse, Neglect and Exploitation Unit in the Office of the Kansas Attorney General
Legislation Pending Approval from Governor
SB 341 Allowing step therapy for Medicaid patients (Now in Conference Committee Report for H Syb for SB 402)
HB 2456 Interstate Medical Licensure Act (Now in Conference Committee Report for HB 2615)
S Sub for HB 2365 Nursing Home Provider Assessment Increase
H Sub for SB 249 House and Senate Budget Agreement
