Kansas plans next moves in Medicaid overhaul

Kansas officials set public hearings on Medicaid changes. In the meantime, the Kansas Health Institute news service examines difficulties Kentucky has experienced with a similar transition.

The Associated Press/Kansas City Star: Kansas Sets 2 Public Hearings On Medicaid Overhaul
Kansas officials will hold two public hearings this month on Gov. Sam Brownback's plan to overhaul the state's $2.9 billion-a-year Medicaid program. The hearings are scheduled June 18 in Wichita and June 20 in Topeka, ahead of the submission of a revised request for a federal go-ahead of the overhaul (6/11).

Kansas Health Institute News: Medicaid Makeover: Can Kansas Learn From Kentucky?
Kentucky already has done what Kansas is getting ready to do: It hired three managed care companies to run most of its Medicaid system. … But Kentucky's transition to a fixed-rate managed care system, which began only a few days before Brownback announced his plan in November, has been plagued by problems during its first seven months of operations. More states have been shifting to fixed-rate Medicaid managed care plans as policymakers look for ways to contain growing program costs (Ranney and Shields, 6/11).