Kansas expands Medicaid, SCHIP benefits

Topeka, Kan.鈥?While the U.S. Congress debates federal Medicaid and children’s health coverage issues, Gov. Kathleen Sebelius quietly signed into law May 18 for next day announcement dental and other Medicaid and SCHIP expansions.

“Kansas has not funded an adult Medicaid program for many years,” Kevin J. Robertson, Kansas Dental Association executive director, told the ADA News. “Increasing coverage to pregnant women as well as the frail elderly and developmentally disabled populations over the past two years is helping to get dental care to the population most in need.”

The Kansas health reform package extends the State Children’s Health Insurance Program to children in families earning up to 250 percent of poverty guidelines, or about $44,000 a year for a family of three, and provides dental coverage and tobacco cessation counseling for pregnant women enrolled in Medicaid. The SCHIP guideline was at the 200 percent level.

Meanwhile, the partisan wrangling in Washington, D.C., that stifles proposed SCHIP expansions continues over proposed Medicaid regulations.